Yelena inserted the key and opened the door carefully. She entered the silent suite and shut the door quietly behind her. It appeared empty save for the late afternoon sunlight that poured in through the striped windows.

"Valek?" Yelena took a breath before stepping in and trying again in a louder voice, "Are you here?"

Satisfied that she was alone, she set her pack down and took several swift steps into and around the endless clutter. Yelena sat in his chair and swiveled to the writing desk. For the next few moments, she methodically shuffled through the papers and files, occasionally throwing them down in sheer frustration.

Turning away from the desk, she began opening the unlocked drawers, running a hand on each underside in her search. Just as she reached into her hair for the picks, the lock on the front door clicked open.

Yelena stumbled for a moment in her haste away from the desk. Her thigh collided painfully with the corner of the wood and she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

Valek strode in, his face lit with delight. "Yelena! You're several days late. And because it's you, I was beginning to worry, love."

She stepped out of the shadows and walked towards him, unsmiling. "I'm alright."

He closed the gap between them and affectionately wrapped his arms around her. "You know you're more than that."

Their lips met but she was as stiff and cold as one of his black statues. Valek immediately blamed a trick of light for the slight narrowing of her eyes. "Are you sure you're alright, love?"

Yelena waved his arms off and backed away as if his touch annoyed her. "I'm tired. It was a long trip."

"Let's talk about it."

The frost in her voice stilled his heart. "I have somewhere to be." She walked out of the suite before he could reply.

Several hours later, Yelena reentered the suite but stopped abruptly.

Valek sat at the writing desk, straightening the papers. "This is about the new safe houses I implanted, isn't it?"

She crossed her arms. "What is?"

"We were fighting over them when you left." The chair scarped against the floor as he stood and walked towards her. He never hid his face with her, even when he was this vulnerable; when it was filled with bewilderment and sheer anxiety. "It doesn't take a decade long relationship for me to see you're still upset, love. Talk to me. Please."

"I'm not upset." But her hardened green eyes and stiff shoulders granted no reassurance. "I told you. It was a long trip and I'm tired."

"We've been apart for seasons. You don't normally act this way when we can finally be together."

"Normally? How am I supposed to normally act, then?"

"You would act the way you would if you missed me at all these past few months. Or at the very least, you would look happy to see me. But you seem uncomfortable and distant."

"I did miss you."

Yelena capitalized on his distraction with her words and began climbing up the stairs.

Valek followed her into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. "Yelena…"

"Don't." She said abruptly when she sensed him reaching for her. "Don't touch me."

She resumed untying her hair and finished undressing. Without another word, she climbed into bed and rolled onto her side toward the window. She pulled the covers up to her chin and shut her eyes.

Valek turned toward her in the bed. He forced himself to be content with merely seeing her, in spite of his arms aching to hold her. But when he closed his eyes, they flashed open again in one frantic heartbeat.

There was no scent of lavender.

Yup, this is a new story. For people still following Sieges Weathered, yes I am still writing that. I needed a break from the heavy stuff and started scribbling this one. xD This isn't really a chapter but more of a preview trailer sorta. Let me know if this is even the slightest bit interesting so I'd continue it. :) And if you are interested, tell me what you think happened in that review I know you're totally going to write.