Thanks to Mbali97 for coming up with the name! This is a sequel to Confessions. If you have not read Confessions, I advise you read that first (it's a long CQ story set after Book 4). Please RnR! If you have plot ideas, tell me! Basically, I'm using my poll results from ages ago to see what you guys want, and this will be about Connie/Col relationship, Connie's training and the Society as a whole, cos that's what you voted for when I was asking what you wanted Vengeance to be about! (sorry for deleting that btw :P) So this is a new sequel to Confessions- forget about Vengeance, this is following a completely different plot.

Please RnR, and if you have ideas, tell me!

"I can't do this."

Col Clamworhty stood stock still at the door to the ward. His hand was gripping tightly to someone else's, who now pulled her hand out of his grasp.

"Yes you can!" Connie Lionheart smiled at her boyfriend encouragingly. "I'll be there to help you. Just tell her the truth, she'll understand."

"No she won't." He was already backing away from the door slowly. "Why would she? She really thought I liked her! Why would she understand if I suddenly told her that I didn't?"

Connie sighed. She should've seen this coming. He's just too nice, she thought with a half smile. But maybe she could use that against him…

"Look, how come you had no problem pretending you were cheating on me, but now you're suddenly too kind to tell Shirley that you don't love her?" She looked him directly in the eyes, and put on a sad face.

Col felt his heart beat faster as Connie's gaze bored intently into his eyes, pulling on his heartstrings.

"Okay, fine." He sighed in defeat. "Let's do this."

Taking a deep breath, Col pushed open the door to the ward. His insides squirmed as he glanced around, looking for Shirley's bed. He quickly found it- her bright blonde hair, uncharacteristically messy, was hard to miss. He could already see the deep scratches on her face, and the many plasters and bandages that covered her arms. Col made his legs move in a way he hoped would look vaguely like walking, and hesitantly made his way to Shirley.

Shirley's face brightened immediately as she saw Col. She shouted over to him. "Col! I hear that Connie's been…" she trailed off as a girl with raven-black hair in ripped jeans came into view behind Col. "Oh."

"Hi Shirley." Connie came to stand beside her, but Shirley instantly shrank away, a look of pure fear reflecting in her eyes.

"Don't talk to me!" she yelled. "And don't dare touch me, you monster!"

Connie stood, embarrassed, as every face in the ward turned in their direction. "Is there a problem, Miss Masterson?" asked one of the nurses.

"Yes, I want her out!" She pointed a shaking finger at a startled Connie.

"Now, Shirley, there's no need for that. What has this girl done to you?"

"She's the reason I'm here in the first place!" She tried to sit up.

"Shirley, calm down." Col put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her gently back into the bed. "You were attacked by a bird, remember?" His eyes locked on hers, trying to silently tell her to shut up. "Connie's done nothing wrong."

Shirley opened her mouth, and then closed it again. Col was right- there was nothing Shirley could say to Connie now. Not with all these non-Society people around. She glared at Connie. "Leave. Now."

"Listen Shirley, we can explain…" Col started running through his head how he was going to tell Shirley the truth.

"No." Connie stepped back. She looked apologetically at Col. "You can explain. I'll see you outside." And she was walking to the door before Col could protest.

"What happened to 'I'll be there to help you'?"

Connie looked up from her moccacino and found Col standing in front of her. She stood up from her seat in the waiting room, draining the last of her drink and throwing the empty polystyrene cup in the bin. "I'm sorry."

"Well you should be!" He started to walk towards the entrance. "You promised you'd be there. Why'd you just bail on me?"

Connie trailed after him. "I know, I shouldn't have… I wasn't thinking…"

"No, you weren't. But I was. I was thinking about how I was going to have to tell her, by myself, without any support. So thanks." He'd stopped walking now.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, catching up to him, "but I couldn't stay in there. Everyone was staring at me, and I could sense her anger towards me… how did she take it?" Col was silent. "When you told her that you don't love her and the kiss was fake?" Connie clarified.

"Well, she now hates me. She said she never wanted to see me again." Col shrugged. "Oh well, it's her loss." He grinned, and Connie laughed.

"I really am sorry. Are we okay?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course." Col took her hand and pulled her after him, through the automatic doors and into the car park where Evelyn had arranged to pick them up. They quickly spotted her Citroen, and Connie saw Evelyn wave out of the window. They walked over, hand in hand.

"Looks like everything went ok?" Evelyn raised her eyebrows, noticing that the two looked happy. "Or do you both have weird grins 'cause you're holding hands?"

Connie dropped Col's hand, blushing. She slid into the back seat, followed by Col. Evelyn pulled out of the car park and into the main road.

"Um… my seat belt's broken." Connie held up the metal buckle, which had become detached from the black belt.

Evelyn sighed. "That's George's doing- he's fiddling with everything at the moment. It's probably also been in his mouth." Connie gingerly dropped it. "Oh well, you'll be ok without a seat belt, it isn't far."

"The middle seat belt's fine, I'll sit there." She slid into the middle seat, squashed up against Col. He smiled and silently took her hand. "'Cause I'm all about safety," she finished dramatically, and fastened the belt. Evelyn narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her in the rear view mirror.

"Connie, you're blocking my view. Lean away from Col." Evelyn half smirked.

Connie tilted her head to the side.

"Further." Evelyn eyed her. Connie leaned further away. "Further."

"If I lean any more I'll crick my neck." Connie frowned.

Evelyn sighed heavily and averted her gaze on the road ahead. Connie sat back up straight, knowing she wasn't even blocking Evelyn's view in the first place. Evelyn had been acting coolly around Col since Connie had turned up at his house yesterday. Connie thought that she must have been partially blaming him for the whole running away incident, which wasn't exactly fair. Col had just been following orders from a Trustee, and had never wanted to hurt Connie. Now the pair were back together, Evelyn didn't seem too happy about it.

"We're going to the Mastersons'." Evelyn interrupted Connie's thoughts. "There's a meeting with the Trustees, and some other Society members."

"Why?" asked Connie.

Col spoke up for the first time. "I'm just gonna take a wild guess here, but I'm guessing it's about… you?" He looked at Connie, who sighed.

"The Trustee's are going to arrange a special training programme for you, to help you with your new powers and… abilities, and…" Evelyn struggled to find the right words.

"Stuff." Col finished for her.

"You mean, stuff like attacking people and landing them in hospital? Stuff like spontaneously turning into a creature every time I experience any emotion? And like fainting when I try and stop it?"

Col swallowed uncomfortably. "Umm… yeah."

Connie sighed, frustrated. "I've already told you, there's no one who can help me. How is someone going to train me on how to use Kullervo's powers? There's not even any books I can read on that, not like my Universal training."

She stopped talking and sat in silence. They were pulling into the Mastersons' driveway. Evelyn looked at her again in the mirror. "Look, Connie, that's why we're having a meeting- to try and come up with a solution that will help you, and not be dangerous to anyone."

Connie snorted sceptically. "Good luck with that."