Heeeey people, so, on another site, some smart person gave me a few comments on plot problems with this fic... How would Wanda's crippled body get nourishment without a soul in it? Well haha don't even worry. Doc can give her nourishment through IV. Yup, cuz he totally has that technology in the caves.

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Here's chapter three!! SLASH. OMG.

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I could tell by the small digital green numbers on the clock in the dashboard that we had been diving for only an hour, but it had seemed like a whole life term already, if that was possible. I know I was exaggerating, but the tense atmosphere in the jeep hung like a storm cloud over the four of us. I knew if I had been in Melanie's body, hers so much more attuned to emotions that Jared's, I wouldn't have been able to bear it.

Melanie was driving with Jamie sitting in “shot gun” he had called it. I was sitting with Ian in the two back seats. When we had escaped the caves, no blindfold necessary for me anymore, there had been a few moments of awkward silence, each of us trying to sit where we wanted and trying to minimize the level of discomfort. It had been a difficult task, one that had made all of us releaze that this whole mission was going to be awkward no matter what. The only upside was that Jeb's list hadn't been long and therefore the need for the truck was nonexistant. Just the jeep was needed. This meant that there were less people on the raid than normal.

I blamed and hated myself for the awkwardness of everything. This whole situation was the consequence of my rash stupidity. If I hadn't been so adamant in having a task that actually took some effort on my part, like I had been used to with Melanie, none of this would have happened. I woudn't be stuck inside a male's body. But I had made the choice to be inside Jared and that's how things were. As usual, I had to adapt.

I looked to the side, watching the passing scenery, not taking anything in. I wondered if Petal's body had worken up yet? Was she frightened? Doc was with her so I'd liked to imagine that was not the case. I wondered if, when she awoke, if she would remember anything that had happened while the Flower or myself had occupied her body... she was such a delicate human being. I aslo wondered if everyone would be okay in our absence...

Geez, you sure do wonder a lot. They should call you “Wonderer” instead of “Wanderer”.

My eyebrows furrowed against this comment in my mind. I sighed. I had almost forgotten about Jared. It had been a while since I had had anyone with me inside my mind, telling me what to do and commenting on my thoughts. It almost made me feel nostalgic about Melanie. I had had almost a year with her... I hoped it would be far less than that with Jared. I was eager to get out of this large and awkward body.

Well I'm soooorry. I can't wait for you to get out, either. It's cramped in here.

I could almost feel Jared squirming about in the back of my mind. He certainly was different than Melanie was; stronger was not the right word for it. Almost more stubborn to let me take control. I looked into my lap. My finger had just twitched. Had that been me? Or had it been Jared... Interesting.

Don't you ever stop talking? You're worse than Melanie was.

Melanie had had her moments, but even then she had been quiet and kept to herself for most of the time. Jared didn't do that. I had been right at least; he was a stubborn fighter.

Don't YOU ever stop thinking? It's give you a head ache, he grumbled out. Not like he cared.

He snorted inside my head. God this is making me feel so useless, just sitting here doing nothing. Why the hell did we let Melanie drive?

He was always impatient or nervous when it came to Melanie. What was she doing? Was she safe? What was she thinking? It was almost endearing. It could have been, if he wasn't so persistent and curious about her. I looked over at Melanie. She seemed to be concentrated on the road in front of her, the dark stretch of highway that seemingly went on forever in the desert. But I knew her better. Her mind was plagued by thoughts. I could tell by the twitching in her eyebrows.

Because, I sighed, answering Jared's thought, she wanted to. Ian doesn't feel comfortable behind the wheel and Jamie doesn't know how. Plain as that.

I looked at the digital clock again. An hour and fifteen minutes now the jeep had been moving. Three nights it would take us to reach the main city's medical facility. I almost groaned a loud at this thought. Three nights with nothing to do except wait. Wait until we reached our first goal. I knew we had a list of supplies to collect other than the medicine, but, and I was guilty for thinking this selfish thought, I was truly tempted to beg the rest of them to just turn around once we had the medicine and return to the caves.

Stop it. We need to follow orders and get the supplies. Suck it up. Geez Wanda, I thought you were tougher than that.

I let my head fall against the side window, the cool glass soothing against my pounding forehead. He was right of course. That was one trait of Jared's; always focused on the task at hand.

I looked again to Melanie. I blinked rapidly as a vivid memory was suddenly thrown into the foreground of my mind.

I love it when she laughs. She looks so beautiful right now. “Haha, good job, we almost DIDN'T hit that sign!”

She scowled at me. I only laughed harder. “Shut up, Jared! Im trying, geez. I only got my G1 two years ago.”

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. “Haha I know. I'm only joking. I almost forgot how young you are!”

I smiled at her, making her scowl turn upside down. The corners of her lips twitched and a small laugh escaped her mouth. She let go of the wheel and sighed, leaning into my shoulder.

“Melanie...” I whispered, cupping her cheek in my hand. She looked at me and her eyes sparkled in the sunset. I wished we could stay like this forever, hidden in the Jeep. It was too perfect. She was perfect.

“What...” she whispered back, her face flushed. I closed in and touched my lips to hers.

I shook my head. I didn't need to see that and I didn't want to either. It was private to Melanie.

Hey, I was remembering that! Why'd you shake your head. Now it's gone. Bugger.

I don't need you shoving me private memories of Melanie. It'll only make things worse for everyone.

I remembered how my lingering and reluctant love for Jared had been caused. Melanie had relentlessly poured out memories of her times with Jared at me, making me feel the same way for a time. I certainly did not need to feel that way about Melanie. I was fine with Jamie, and I had almost dealt with my feelings for Jared, but I would never feel right with Melanie again if that happened. I suddenly hoped that the kiss I had given her hadn't effected her in any way... Ugh. I could feel another head ache coming on.

I felt a light touch on my hand beside me. I turned to look and was met with the blue eyes of Ian. My head ache melted away. My Ian.

Oh god you are SUCH a sap. It's sickening.

Shut up Jared.

“How are you doing?” I knew he meant more than just my physical level of comfort; he was asking about my mental comfort too.

I moved the muscles in my mouth into a smile. “Fine I guess.” I shrugged and moved my eyes upward to indicate my head. Ian just gave a sorry smile and turned back to looking outside.

Another two hours passed. The clock now read midnight. I know I should have been tired, would have been with Melanie's body but Jared's body was built differently. I couldn't understand where my sustainable energy came from.

The jeep's speed decreased slowly and I could see we were pulling into an Inn. Relief washed through me. So we weren't sleeping in the van tonight.

Out of the van, everyone stretched their sore bodies. “Uugh, I haven't driven that far in a while! Not since... well, anyways, let's check in,” Melanie said, shrugging off her train of thought.

Not since getting lost in the desert, I thought, completeing her sentence.

Jamie let out a big yawn, his mouth stretching. “I'm beat!”

Ian laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. “Good. Get some rest, gotta long day of stealing ahead of us.”

I winced. I could swear I felt Jared rolling his eyes in my mind.

Of course I had to go in first. Jared's body now had the reflective silver eyes, indication for the Soul inside. The others would follow close behind, all with scars for camouflage. Melanie's real scar shot guilt up my spine every time I looked at it.

Ian trailed closely behind me as I opened the doors to the Inn. I was slightly surprised how... comfortable he had been with all of this so far. I had expected him to want to stay as far away from Jared's body as possible, seeing as both Ian and Jared were male. I hadn't seen very many couples of the same gender in the human world and those I had seen had been very reserved. If it all came down to what Ian had said before, about loving me, Wanda, no matter what my physical appearance was, then I was very glad.

Averting their eyes, Mel, Jamie and Ian chatted amongst themselves as I walked up to the lobby desk. I had done this so many times before; it was so easy now. I still felt somewhat guilty though.

The hotel clerk reflected my smile. “Good evening, and how may I help you...?”

I smiled and nodded, preparing to provide a name. “It's Stars-” I stopped, catching myself. Of course I had to give this body a male name, not a female one, like I had always done. I cleared my throat. “Sorry, it's Breathes Flames.”

What a lame name. Stop being so nice, it's making me look weird.

I could have made you come from the Flower World, I spat back.

The clerk nodded, not catching my hesitation. “Very good then. You'll be needing a room, Breathes Fire?”

“Ah, yes please. For four,” I said, indicating the rest of my group with my hand.

“Very good,” he repeated, not suspecting that three quarters of the guests were human. He shuffled around behind the desk and then handed me two room keys. “Have a splendid sleep and morning, Breathes Fire.”

“I will, thank you.” I gave him another smile and then joined Jamie, Ian and Mel. I could feel Jared's revulsion at how politely I was treating my fellow Souls. I brushed off the feeling.

They made sure to avert their eyes as we headed to our room on the second floor. The clerk behind the desk waved cheerfully as we made our way to the elevators.

If I thought things had been awkward in the car, well... well they had been, but the jeep was nothing compared to this.

The three of us, with Jamie already knocked out by sleep on the closest bed to the door, stood in our room, uncertain as to what to do next. Who to make the most uncomfortable?

I sighed. “Guys, this is all my fault, so... I'll sleep on the floor. You can have the beds.”

Ian's eyes scrunched up and Melanie frowned. “That's not fair to you, Wanda,” Ian said. “You've been through a lot today. You can have a bed.”

“No no, it's really okay. An insertion is nothing.”

I could tell Melanie wanted to sleep with Jared's body from how she was watching me.

You're damn right she wants to sleep with me.

I looked at Ian. He seemed very conflicted. I could understand the fact that I was literally being pulled from both sides. I wanted to be with Ian but I did not want to cause him discomfort at being in such close proximity to Jared's body. The other part of me wanted to be with Melanie, wanted to hold her in my arms. Jared growled in my head, supplying me with images and feelings which I really did not want to deal with.

“She could share with Jamie?” Melanie offered.

Ian seemed to consider this, cocking his head to the side. “You and I share a bed?”

Melanie wilted. “Awkward...”

Ian's eyebrows rose and he nodded.

Melanie sighed in defeat. “Okay, we'll take turns. This is silly, and I'm hellishly tired. Ian, you sleep with Wanda.”

Ian looked at me and shifted on his feet. “Uh...”

Oh no he will NOT! I am NOT sleeping with that peice of -

“Are you sure Melanie?”

She gave me smile, already on her way to Jamie's side. “Yeah. But you'll be where I am tomorrow night. Guaranteed. Tell Jared I love him.”

I heard that... I love her too. So much...Goddamnit when I get out of here -

“He heard you. He loves you too. Very much,” I said, interrupting him.

Melanie joined Jamie in slumber. Ian was still standing in front of me. Jared bristled in side of me.

I locked eyes with Ian for a tense moment and then the next in was walking to the bed, his face red with embarassment or anger. I couldn't tell which. Hopefully not anger. It wasn't really that big of a deal. It was one night... was I really that repuslive in this body? I was still Wanda... the soul he loves.

Ian was under the covers. I was still standing on the carpet in front of the bed, unsure about what to do with myself.

“Wanda?” Ian said, his head raised from his pillow.

And suddenly the double bed seemed much too small. I was so used to being able to tuck into Ian's arms, almost buried in his chest, being so small in that body. But this body was the same size as Ian's. I couldn't do that. I sighed and got under the covers beside Ian. I peeked into Jared's memory to see that they had shared many nights in close proximity before, but not under such... unique circumstances before. Not when Ian had been in love with a part of Jared.

“Good night, Wanda. Jared you jerk, let her sleep,” Ian whispered.

He seemed so close to me... “I love you, Ian,” I whispered back. This voice was too rough for such sweet words, even though they had been said to Melanie so many times.

No, no I did not just say that... noooooo... I hate this. You're too close to him.

I'll fall off if I move any farther. Suck it up, I replied, repeating his words from before.

“That sounds so weird... coming from his mouth,” I heard Ian whisper.

“Sorry... I won't say it again.”

Ian's hand was on my cheek, warm and comforting, as light as it was. “I didn't mean it like that...”

I could tell he was looking at me. I couldn't help it; I turned on my side to look at him. His blue eyes pierced the darkness, sparkles of light dancing in their pools. His face was inches away...

Oh fuck no. Don't do it, Wanda.

It wasn't so much a beg as an order. That annoyed me to no end. I was in Jared's body, yes, but that gave him no right to tell me what to do. Ian had accepted my kiss before, after all. But that had been an emergency... would Ian accept another? Secret in the dark in the hotel room, knowing that Jared was fully aware? He had said in the hallway to me that I wasn't to expect anything from him... but...

I didn't break eye contact with Ian. He frowned as I moved my face closer. My heart beat hard against my chest and I suddenly felt nervous. I knew I shouldn't be doing this... making Ian and Jared this uncomfortable but... I loved Ian so much. I couldn't help myself. Melanie had understood before. She had left when I had needed this. Ian licked his lips, breathing harder. He didn't seem to be moving away. My confidence grew... I moved my head closer to his, parting my lips.

NO. Jared practically screamed it in my head. My body suddenly felt slightly paralyzed. It wasn't going as much with my will as was normal for me. I stopped, my face an inch away from Ian's, concentrating on the invisble force which was battling with mine.

Jared... please...

Fuck no. I am NOT kissing him again.

It's not you that's kissing him... it's me. I'm not letting you control me.

Oh and you think I'll let YOU control ME? It's MY body!

Yes. Be a good Host, now.

“Wanda?” came Ian's concerned whisper. I could feel his hot breath on my lips. I was so close, yet I could not reach him. My body jerked backward an inch but I fought with it so that only my legs moved.

“It's Jared... he won't let me... he won't let me...” I whispered back, not saying it.

Ian sighed. He rested his fingers on my neck. “Fuck him.”

Uh, I don't think so, Jared thought with disgust and anger.

Ian moved foward, closing the distance. I gasped when I felt his lips on mine. On Jared's. I squashed any thoughts down that Ian was acting almost too willing for this... that he maybe possessed some secret wish to be with Jared, and enjoyed the feeling of his body reacting to the kiss.

I pushed back, trying not to make a sound. I prayed Melanie and Jamie were still asleep, over all of that whispering and shuffling of blankets.

Oh you fucker. This is so disgusting. Get him off meeeeee!

The voice in my head was easy to drown out; all I could think of was Ian. Our mouths opened, hot and wet, his tongue stroking against mine. It was so much different from the body I had been in yesterday, when I had last kissed Ian. I couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to though, the unwilling body of Jared putting up a barrier. I would just have to try harder.

I whimpered quietly and pulled myself as close as possible to Ian, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and back. I bit and tugged at Ian's bottom lip, sucking it between my teeth, something I knew he loved. I wanted to make this as comfortable as possible for him, if at all.

Ian broke away, panting quietly, his forehead resting against mine. I pulled my lower body closer to his and I could feel a hardness against my thighs. I could also feel...

I could feel my own hardness? What?

You idiot, you don't even know. Ugh.

Is that.. what I think it is...

I moved against Ian, pressing into him. I had felt it with Ian so many times before. It meant that he was feeling good. Human bodies were so reactive. I should have thought that Jared's body would put up more resistance that THIS, though.

I tried not to think about it.

Ian pulled my lips to his again, licking and biting and sucking. It was all I could do not to groan out loud at what he was doing, how he was making me feel.

And then suddenly all I could see was Melanie. Her image had been projected into my mind with such force that for one second I believed I was kissing her, not Ian.

I groaned and my hands pushed me away from Ian's hard chest. I didn't want to see Melanie in my mind like... like that! It was wrong!

There! NOW you know how I feel!

“Is it... Jared?” Ian asked, trying to catch his breath.

“He's making me see Melanie in my mind.” I sighed and moved further away against my will. I shouldn't have been so selfish towards Jared. I felt guilty. No, now I felt angry at feeling the guilt. I shouldn't have felt guilty for needing to express my love for Ian. But I couldn't go any further, if this was how Jared would deal with it.

Ian nodded and shifted onto his back. “I could see how that would be awkward.”

Jared gave a triumphant sound in my head.

Oh, you think you've won? I asked him.

Hell yeah! Now I know what to do whenever you get all mushy and crap.

Hm. I could tell that Jared was happy with his discovery, but I could also tell he was fuming inside. It was true I had agreed to let Jared sleep near Melanie the next time, but I could feel the envy coming off him in waves, whether he wanted to admit to it or not. I supposed that was fair.

“Goodnight, Ian.”

I felt Ian's hand grab mine. “Night, Wanda. Sleep well.”

I squeezed his hand. My heart was still beating hard. The rest of my body hadn't calmed down though, I noticed with annoyance. This would take a while to get used to. Thankfully I would not have to be stuck in the male human body for long.

--

Morning came much too early, Jared and I both decided as we felt Ian shaking us awake. Jared was immediately glad to be on the road again and in action. That was all good for me, I agreed. It would distract both me and him from each other. I could tell that living with him was not going to be easy, what with my desire for Ian and his for Melanie. I would just have to focus on the task at hand.

Two more days until we reached the main Hospital. Why had we not just gone to the small medical station in Tuscon like we had for Jamie's fever? Well, this time it was not such a dire emergency and we did not want to chance another nerve wracking interruption on the road like before. That time had been much too close to defeat. We had all agreed that, just because the tension surrounding me had disappeared and everything inside the cave community was stable, that did not mean the rest of the world was. Doc could keep the human body fine with No Pain until we returned with the medicine and Jeb's list.

It was going to be another long day in the car, until we reached the edges of the suburbian residential areas which lined the city. There we would begin the raid, searching for temporarily unoccupied households. My alluring previous human body had always been used as the pitiful distraction on the souls, had they returned to the house before we had collected enough supplies. The souls were so easily persuaded into helping a helpless young girl. They were always so easily manipulated... But this time that body was not accompanying us. This time I was in Jared's body, as much the opposite to Pet's body as possible. On this raid we would have to be extra careful.

It'll only be like it was before we had you. We can handle it. Jared spoke up in my head, defending the raid's success rate.

I know you've got it covered.

It was like swatting a fly. That was the image that popped into my mind whenever I replied to one of Jared's comments in my head. This image of course displeased Jared.

Jamie, in the front seat again, turned around to look at me, a huge grin on his face. “Have a good sleep last night, Wanda? And Jared?”

There was laughter in his voice. Did he know? I didn't look to Ian beside me; I was sure he was blushing. Melanie's eyes switched to mine in the rear-view mirror. There was mild suspicion contained in them as she looked at me. I turned back to Jamie, conveying nothing.

“Yes, the bed was very comfy. I – We both had a nice sleep. And yourself?”

“Mm, it was good, thanks. I love the pillows in hotels. We should steal some tonight, eh Wanda?”

I laughed. “Yeah.”

Jamie shook his black hair out of his eyes. “Geez, it's so weird hearing Jared's voice so calm and polite when you talk, Wanda!”

See? He agrees with me. Stop acting like a sissy. It's unbefitting of me.

“Hm, he says he agrees with you. But I'm in here right now, so he'll just have to deal with it.”

Melanie had a laugh. “I'm sure he's just loving that. I still remember the first couple weeks with you in me. It was so annoying not hearing myself say what I thought!”

I smiled, reminiscing. Ah, the life of the Wanderer was so inconsistent. I don't think I had ever changed Hosts three times one the same planet.. and so quickly either. It was slightly disorientating.

Women. They can never make up their minds about ANYTHING.

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It was nearing sunset by the time we reached the residential edge of the city. The haze in the distance, reflecting the orange and purple of the sunset and almost covered the high rising buildings of civilization. The houses here at the edge were sparse, spaced comfortabley apart from each other. I had seen these houses a million times. This was a favourite raiding spot. It was almost like fishing at a hot spot in the lake. What a fitting analogy.

I sighed. I was so used to being in a small body, not this huge bulk that was Jared. Everything I was seeing and was touching was from a different angle. It had taken me some time to get used to Melanie's height and strength and even more time to go from that to Pet's previous human body, so delicate and small. My role in the raids in that Host had been to distract the owners if and when they returned, more that than stealing from the home. The girl with the golden curls was not tall enough to reach any of the tall cupboards and I was clumsy with that body, so I had stayed back, watching the others at work. Now, on our current raid, I supposed I would just have to participate in the role that Jared usually adapted. It was a role similar to what Melanie's had been, so it would be somewhat familiar.

I just hoped I could manage to avoid an accident, like back in the caves with my leg. Like an accident that had caused all of this in the first place.

There were no cars in the driveway, meaning the owners of the home were probably out.

No shit, sherlock.

Oh be quiet. You're going to distract me. This is difficult enough without you jabbering away in my mind.

But they did have a garage, like the other four houses we could see. I had noticed, in past raids, that souls typically chose to not utilise the garage for their automobiles. They liked to be outside and free and the garage made the image of a cage. Somewhat ironic, if you ask me, seeing as we're nothing but parasites, caged forever inside the body of another.

The jeep stopped down the road from the house we had chosen. We all got out, equipped with our burlap sacs. No weapons this time, I noticed. Our little team had been getting more successful with every trip, so there was no need, really.

As we entered the house, we discovered, upon my slight relief, that the owners of the house were indeed gone. But for how long? That was always a questionable variable on these raids and did not lessen the danger, or the guilt, any easier. Essentially we were breaking and entering. We were doing what was necessary for our survival.

Damn straight.

Ian beckoned me forward. “Okay, so,” he whispered to me, his equal height still disorienting, “you're going to come with me to the upper level while Mel and Jamie split off into the kitchen. I don't want you hurting yourself, since you're not exactly used to Jared's body.” I tried to ignore how close we were standing to each other... and how uncomfortable Ian seemed to be, speaking this close with me. I had to focus and so did he. This was a raid; a dangerous situation to be in. It wasn't like we were in any real danger, if we were caught by the owenrs of the house the Souls were easy enough to lie to... the Seekers were the real trouble. I wasn't out of the woods yet.

I nodded, accepting his plan. No further words said, we headed up the stairs, nodding as we passed Mel and Jamie, intercepting them on their way to the kitchen.

The staircase lead us up to the second floor, the bathroom directly in front of us as we reached the landing. I followed Ian into the tiled room, scanning our surroundings as we walked. He flicked on the light, brightening the pristinely white room. I didn't quite follow the reason as to why we were in this room; everything which was in here could easily be obtained at the medical facility to which we were later headed.

The bathroom wasn't large, and with Jared's body mirroring Ian's size, it was a bit cramped. Ian paused at the sink, opening the cupboards underneath to inspect their contents as I walked to the end of the room to where the shower and bathtub were.

“Well, there doesn't seem to be a lot in here...” I began to say, drifting off in the middle. I felt an arm wrap around my waist, spreading firey heat as it encircled my hips. I froze. Ian's hot breath was on my cheek, his hair brushing against my ear. He inhaled.

What the FUCK is he doing. This is NOT the time!

I, I don't know...This was certainly not the time for this...

“I-Ian?”

“Mm... I just can't seem to take my hands off you, Wanda...”

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