*Teresa*

First of all, even Hunters have time off. Usually we–especially me–spend it training.

But even I have enough time to learn an instrument.

Namely, the piano. But no one knew but Ten and Teacher.

Ten was mildly surprised when she found out. Apparently, she thought I'd learn guitar.

Anyway, so after the big Sohrem thing, we'd found a new safe house. And, since then, Terrance, Jay, and Noh seemed to stick together. Or maybe it wasn't that, it was that the other four of us–and Marina–stuck together.

Well, one day when Noh, Terrance, and Jay were out Hunting, I was in my room, sitting by the piano. No one knew there was one because no one dared to come in.

I sat on the bench and tried to think of something to play, for lack of anything else to do.

Somehow I came up with "The Lonely" by Christina Perri.

I dug out the music I'd printed out for it and set it on the piano. My fingers found the keys and started playing the haunting tune.

I sang along.

"2 a.m., where do I begin

Crying off my face again

The silent sound of loneliness

Wants to follow me to bed

"I'm the ghost of a girl

That I want to be most

I'm the shell of a girl

That I used to know well"

I closed my eyes as the tempo picked up, my fingers finding the keys on their own.

"Dancing slowly in an empty room

Can the lonely take the place of you

I sing myself a quiet lullaby

Let you go and let the lonely in

To take my heart again

"Too afraid, to go inside

For the pain of one more loveless night

For the loneliness will stay with me

And hold me till I fall asleep

"I'm the ghost of a girl

That I want to be most

I'm the shell of a girl

That I used to know well

"Dancing slowly in an empty room

Can the lonely take the place of you

I sing myself a quiet lullaby

Let you go and let the lonely in

To take my heart again

"Broken pieces of

A barely breathing story

Where there once was love

Now there's only me

And the lonely...

"Dancing slowly in an empty room

Can the lonely take the place of you

I sing myself a quiet lullaby

Let you go and let the lonely in

To take my heart again…"

I opened my eyes, smiling, proud of myself. It had turned out better than I'd thought it would.

And saw Cassidy leaning over the top of the piano, staring at me.

"Oh, my God!" I yelled, jumping up, hitting my knees, toppling the bench, and almost falling back. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

He smiled a bit. "You play piano?"

I frowned. "Get out of my room." I pointed to the door.

"When did you learn?" he asked, gazing down at the instrument, ignoring me.

"I case you haven't noticed, I'm not in the training room all day," I muttered, righting the bench and sitting back down.

"Hm," he muttered.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Well, Ten's the one who told me you were the source of noise."

I glared.

"Kidding, kidding," he said, smiling. "You were really good. But Jaq's holed up in his room. I don't know where Marina is."

I nodded. "Well, at least Jay's not here," I muttered.

He chuckled. "Uh, yeah. That's probably a good thing." He smiled conspiratorially. "Especially with what I'm about to show you."

I looked at him, suspicious. "Which would be…?"

He shook his head. "Come on, just follow."

I sighed and got up, letting him lead me out.