Till Death Do Us Part..

Artemis nodded, her eyes trained on the horizon as she happily dug into her vanilla ice cream

"You know, I can see why your dad would be so protective." He said after a minute and watched her. "You're very beautiful. If you were my daughter, I think I'd be the same way."

Artemis scoffed and let her hair fall "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder"

"Well I think you're beautiful." Mark said as he watched her carefully. "I'm sure many guys would fight for or over you."

Artemis frowned, and bristled slightly "you see dead people. you're bonkers. ergo your opinion is mote"

Mark laughed and shook his head. "If I see dead people, doesn't that mean I can see what isn't apparent to others? Therefore, my opinion is not mote, seeing as how I can see the true beauty, that no one else can." his brown eyes smiled, watcing her.

Artemis put down her ice cream and look away "what's it to ya?" she mumbled "why does it matter what i look like? In 40 years I'll be old and wrinkly, what then? looks are nothing in the grand scheme of things. I am not beautiful"

Mark smirked. "You have a brilliant out look on life, you know that?" he sat his ice cream down and leaned back, his elbow propping him up. "Why such a dismla look on things?"

"Why such a cheery outlook on things?" she shot back

Mark shrugged. "If I didn't keep my outlook cheery, I'd look an awefull lot like Bridget." He said, sadness seeping into his eyes. "Gotta have some hope, otherwise you might as well just throw yourself off a cliff." He laid back all the way and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slow.

Artemis watched him for a moment. What an odd boy. She laid back also and stared up at the darkening sky "it's safer my way" she whispered "no chance of being let down"

Mark gave a small smile. "It also makes you skeptical of the goodness of life." He countered, looking over at her.

"yes, but you're less likely to get hurt" she countered back, not willing to back down

"then you're less likely to be happy." he said watching her, not willing to back down either. It was terrible having two stuborn people together, but he liked the challenge. He propped himself up on his elbow beside her and looked down at her. "There has to be sorrow to be able to experiance joy, suffering to be greatful for life. Rejection so you can experiance love." his voice was quiet, soft.

Artemis propped herself up as well "yes, but if all you know is sorrow, eventually any blow you may receive doesn't even touch you. If all you know is joy, even the smallest blow would knock you down flat. Sorrow is safer" she concluded laying back down "you're less likely to get hurt"

Mark smiled as he watched her. "You have to have a balance of both to keep a person sane." He said as he watched her, lost in her eyes. He leaned down slowly, and softly brushed his lips against hers. Then pulled away and went for his ice cream before she could hit him, or at least, so he could prepare to be hit.

Artemis's eyes widened and her hands flew to her lips. Did he just? nah... she remained quiet, wide-eyed and all as she continued to stare up at the sky

Mark watched her, waiting for her to hit him. But she didn't. She just sat there with a shocked look, which made ammusement dance in his eyes. "Tell me something Artemis. Have you ever loved someone?"

Artemis stirred, letting her hair cover her back up as she glanced at him "my pet gold fish count?"

Mark chuckled and shook his head. "No, I mean a person."

Artemis turned away and busied herself with her ice cream "I'm Miss. pessimism, remember?" she mumbled

Mark shrugged as he watched her. "Anything is possible." He said as he watched her. Man she was growing on him. What was he going to do when it actually came time for him to leave? He didn't think he'd be able to do it. Walk away from her. "You're interesting Artemis." He finally said and laid back again and watched as the stars started to appear one by one.

Grace sighed with relief when the others left. Then looked to Brendon. "I've just had a lot of bad experience with strangers so I try to stay away from them. " she in explanation for her behavior.

Artemis snorted and placed her ice cream to the side, laying back down and staring up at the stars "as interesting as my name?"

Brendon smiled and nodded. "I understand that." He gave her hand a comforting squeeze as they left. "You don't have to worry any more though. You're with us. Nothing's going to hurt you now."

Mark thought about it for a moment. "No, more so. And I do like your name. It's very unique."