Based on the game, with a little bit of influence from the comics and a little bit from the show. Umbreon = Morpheus. Helios = Arcanine. Hephaestus = Steelix. What can I say? I love the Greek and Latin names.

Silver and Crystal

It had been a long day. For hours Crystal had been at the Radio Tower, swapping war stories with Professor Oak and his co-host Mary: their time in the League, their greatest challenges, their strongest rivals, their most fantastic victories. It was always fun, Oak said, to be able to relive his glory days. Phone lines were flooded with curious listeners. Oak didn't talk about the League often, and with one of the youngest League Champions on air as well, they just couldn't resist. It had been four years since her victory, but her popularity had only grown.

Word had spread like wildfire after she won the championship, she told Oak and Mary. By the time she had registered as Champion and exited the League Hall there were four missed messages from her mother on her communicator. Her mother answered the phone screaming with joy. Four years later Crystal still wasn't sure if her mother had been crying or not.

She left the Radio Tower fatigued, but excited. The interview had been the last event on another long tour of Johto. and hopefully the last thing she would have to do for a while. Between the new challengers, her new League duties, the tours and community work, the interviews and events, her occasional work for Oak and Professor Elm, and all of the other things that she was called upon to do, Crystal had hardly spent any time by herself. And she was tired. Headaches, and aches, and pains, and sleeping for days on end tired.

Hopefully that was all about to end. Her workload had lightened over the past year, and the future looked less like a hill, and more like a grassy plane. She had mentioned to Oak and Mary that she was planning on taking a sabbatical soon.

'I'm only 18,' she had said, with all the sweetness she would muster. As her PR agent would say, she had an image to maintain. 'I need a little bit of time off, so I can be a normal teenager again.'

And it was true. Crystal had spent more time over the past four years indulging other people and being an adult than she had being herself. It had taken three years to really realize it, but finally Crystal was beginning to see how overworked she had been. Oak had agreed with her, and jokingly recommended a little island retreat between Johto and Kanto. They'd chatted about it for a little while until Mary pointed out that the retreat might not be so secluded after saying it on air.

'We'll have to find something else for you then, won't we?' Oak laughed, patting Crystal on the back.

'I've got a suggestion for you too, sweetheart,' Mary said with a well-practiced wink. 'We can get you something.'

But Crystal already had something in mind.

Even after Lance had lost his championship to her, the two had remained in contact. At first Lance simply mentored Crystal, teaching her the ins and outs of the League and the rules of championship. But the more time they spent together, the closer they became. Soon they were no longer teacher and student, but something more akin to brother and sister. Occasionally, Lance would sneak into League meetings to steal Crystal away for lunch on in the hills. Lately they would spend several hours traipsing across the county, talking and enjoying their freedom. But in the end, Crystal always came back to her suit with even more work to do. And she needed a break.

And of course, Lance already had something in mind.

When Crystal had mentioned to him that she needed a break, Lance whole-heartedly supported her. He had watched Crystal wear herself to the bone, and he knew she couldn't keep it going forever.

'It's a good thing you have me here,' he said, nudging her gently. 'It'll be a lot easier to ease your way out with someone who knows the system to back you up.'

But the Elite Four didn't need much convincing. All four of them had been worrying about her as well. Apparently Lance hadn't been the only one to notice her deteriorating health.

With their consent, Crystal was free to do whatever she pleased for two wonderful months. If a particularly strong challenger came along the Four said that they would send word, but other than that, they promised to leave her to her recuperation.

Koga approached her after the decisive meeting with a small satchel. 'Something to make you feel better. Some old family secrets for you.'

Crystal peeked quickly into the bag (Koga was a stickler for secrecy), and saw three glazed ceramic jars. Koga patted her on the head and wished her well.

'He's secretly made of sugar,' Lance said, having flown Dragonaire in through the window. Again.

After scolding him briefly (what if someone from the outside started doing stupid things like breaking in?), Lance began telling her about the exclusive retreat up on Mt. Silver.

Clair, the leader of the Blackthorn gym and Lance's dearest cousin, had told Lance about it during his early years as League Champion. Mt. Silver was the kind of dangerous place that not many dared to go, and as there were very few pokémon up in those parts, even trainers avoided it.

But there were the odd few that were willing to risk it. One of those adventurous people, a retired trainer named Klein, had decided some years back that the reclusive mountain would actually make a nice place to live. So he, his Onix, Graveler, Magmar, and his Machamps set off to build a resort in a mountain cleft. Supposedly he and his team labored for several weeks in the still chilly summer in order to achieve their goals, and eventually managed to set up shop near a large hot spring where they settled into retirement. It had been to this resort that Clair had sent Lance for a break from his championship, and soon the two gentlemen were good friends.

'I'll send him a message to see if he has any room,' Lance said over lunch on the bay. 'He only has three or four cabins, but it's normally empty up there.'

Because of the solitary nature of the location and of Klein, there was no way to instantly communicate. Lance given Charizard a note and a basket of treats (some of Klein's favorites) to deliver to the retiree. A week passed before Crystal heard back from Lance. Klein was expecting her in three weeks time.

'He doesn't really care when you get there,' Lance added. I doubt you'll have too much trouble getting up there, but sometimes the whether delays people. Though that Steelix of yours should help you to the top, regardless of the whether.'

It had been nearly two weeks since Crystal had heard from Lance. Her final tour across Johto had kept her too busy to do anything else. By the end, she had stopped in every Gym city, talked with all the Gym Leaders, stopped at one or two schools, briefly visited her mother, and helped Elm with a few errands. And now, at long last, here she was in Goldenrod: her last stop. There was the broadcast, then a small tour at Whitney's gym, and finally a small press conference. Just in case anyone hadn't gotten their kicks form Mary and Oak's talk show.

And now, at long last, there she was; lying in a rented bed in the Pokémon Center, tired as anything. It had been a long, busy day, and all she wanted was to sleep until noon. Mt. Silver would be nice, she was sure, but she wanted nothing more than to sleep forever.

Morpheus, her Umberon, curled around her toes, keeping them warm with his heat, but the room was still cold. Crystal moaned. As nice as Pokémon Centers were, the blankets were always too thin, especially as the weather began to turn. If Helios, her Arcanine, were there Crystal would have asked her to turn up the heat, but she had decided to give the team a well-deserved vacation. After the gym tours, the press days, the signings, the lessons... They really did need a break.

What had really gotten them today had been the signing. The kids from the school had played with the team all afternoon, and by the end, the whole lot looked ready to faint. They could battle for days, but with a school full of eager children, the seven could hardly keep playing for longer than two hours. Helios, Stheno her Fraligator, and her Tyranitar had been goaded into taking the kids on races, and were now passed out somewhere in healing stations.

As a result, she was cold. Crystal pulled herself further beneath the covers, hoping that fetal position might spread the warmth at her core to the rest through the rest of her body. Crystal's eyes flashed to the clock on her nightstand. She snorted. Three o'clock in the morning. Crystal had always had trouble sleeping in the cold. Ever since she was a child. Tugging at the covers she thought that maybe if she pulled Morpheus up to her, they could share the little heat he generated, but for the most part he was fairly cold. Most dark types seemed to run a little on the cold side.

Finally she gave in. There was only one thing for her to do if she wanted any rest. Crystal swung her legs over the side of her bed, bumping a very disgruntled Umbreon along the way.

'I'll be right back,' she said to the pair of glowing eyes. 'I'm going to get Helios.'

The feline batted his large eyes at her, and they quickly lit up, telling her not to dally along the way. As if she wanted to stay out in the cold any longer than necessary.

With sleep pulling at her eyelids, Crystal threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, slumping from the room as swiftly as her tired body could move. All she wanted was a little bit of sleep, and even though the universe didn't seem to want her to relax she was willing to fight it every step of the way.

The door latched quietly behind her as she bounded down the hall toward the waiting room. The waiting room was looming in the darkness, and out of the corner of her eyes she could see creeping shadows. The counter was cool under her finger as she walked around it, heading for the door. But just before she could turn the corner a soft, almost inaudible noise sounded from across the room. More than likely, Nurse Joy would be annoyed that the she sneaking around this late, and trying to find her pokémon without assistance. But she knew that the kind-hearted woman would understand. Crystal turned slowly, preparing to apologize, when another familiar face appeared before her.

This was most certainly not the young, fresh-faced nurse looking to scold her for her late night expedition. In fact, this was not a woman at all. Although his face was broader and more defined, this was most certainly the red haired boy she had dueled with many times on her way to greatness.

'Silver?'

The name fell from her lips with a dreamy recognition that was very unlike the thoughtful young trainer. In fact, that only way she could explain anything that was happening: she must be dreaming. At some point she had kicked Umbreon, and now the feline was paying her back with tasty dreams that he could later consume: something to confuse her now, and satisfy him later.

At first the boy seemed unable to speak, further indication that Morpheus was still pulling everything together; like a computer program that needed a moment to boot up. Morpheus had done this all before, the silly cat, and she was sure that this wouldn't be the last time.

'Crystal. How… hi.'

It was stunning really. She had never had such a detail dream. Her eyes flashed across the room, taking everything in. No. No, this had to be real. Morpheus had never been much of a realist. He was too impetuous to create such a solid depiction of the real world. The dreams that the Umbreon conjured were more abstract and flighty. They were fantasies, not resurrections of faces past.

'I, uh… I heard you on the radio earlier.'

'You have a radio?' she asked with a dazed half-smile. 'What, did you steal it?' She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to be awake anymore. Speaking without filtering her thoughts was a nice change of pace.

Silver frowned and crossed his arms. As his arms flexed Crystal realized how much he'd changed since the last time they'd met. He was certainly taller now, rising almost a full head above her, and his body had filled out a little bit. He was no longer the angry, scrawny boy who had lashed out at her all those year ago. Silver had defined muscles, the kind that were best created after time spent doing hard labor. Though it was dark, she could see that his neck and chest were sunburnt, and his face lightly freckled, signs that he had been out in the sun. Without permission, her heavy eyes swept over him. No. No he wasn't the same boy. He was a man now. Surely he was as strong willed and stubborn as he had been as a boy, but now with a figure more suited to his brash personality.

'Sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. It's been a long week.'

'Right.' His voice was deeper now too. It was even a little bit hoarse, as though he spent a lot of time shouting. 'I don't do that anymore, you know.'

Still in a bit of a daze she nodded very slowly, and a languid smile spread across her face. 'I'm glad,' came the words, a bit unconsciously. 'I'm League Champion now. I wouldn't want to be fraternizing with the enemy.'

To her surprise, let out a small chuckle. Awe forced her eyes upon him. There it was: a tiny smile. It twisted at his lip as if mocking the world, or as if it were just waiting for someone to trip up and make a mistake. His was a smile that simultaneously teased and taunted. She could only remember seeing him smile once.

'Are we really enemies?' he asked, the smirk holding her eyes.

'Were we really ever?'

It slid very quietly away, maybe hiding in the pocket of his pajama pants, or beneath his low collar. Somewhere deep inside she wished she hadn't said anything.

Crystal felt the dust in the air settling on her, covering every inch of her body, weighing her down as the pause turned into pregnant silence. Silver seemed lost in his own meditations, leaving her to stand alone in the cold evening air.

'I… I was just coming out to pick up Arcanine. It's cold in here, isn't it?'

After a slight jerk Silver looked up at her. 'Yeah.' His eyes were settled on another continent.

She wasn't quite sure what to do. All he was doing was staring at her with his blank eyes. Maybe it forced her hand.

'Do you want to come with me?' she asked, already beginning to head to the door leading behind the counter. Her hand reached blindly for the handle, her eyes still clinging to his face. 'I'm just going to get Helios and then we could go back to my room... Its' just at the end of the hall. There's a little kitchen in there. I could make us some tea? Warm us up a bit.'

And then there was a shift. Silver was suddenly back in the room with her. His eyebrow rose for a second, as if he wasn't quite sure what was happening, or why. He looked cautious, maybe uneasy. Were they really that estranged? Was she really that unfamiliar?

'I know we've got some bad blood between us,' she said, a hand reaching up to rub her neck, 'but I won't bite.'

He only considered her for a moment before nodding. Very suddenly her hand found the door, and she slid quickly through it, usher Silver in behind her.

'Should we be back here?' Silver asked as he ducked through the door and into the room where all the pokémon were stored.

She stepped lightly through the darkness, keeping one hand on the wall to stable herself. Rows, and rows of pokéballs lay before them in the back room, hundreds of pokémon resting quietly in their little homes. Silver followed her to the left, heading down the row where fire types were kept. Bent over to get a better look at the shrunken creatures, Crystal wondered what she looked like to Silver. Calling him a thief, and then running around in the middle of the night in the backroom of a public building.

'Don't worry about it. Nurse Joy's asleep, and I know my way around here pretty well. I've been studying with Elm for a while now, and I've gotten to know Joy. She wouldn't mind.'

Knew her well enough to know that she left the door unlocked in the middle of the night anyway. Well enough to know that if the two of them were found back here they would get in a little bit of trouble. Well enough to know all of that.

'Oh, there's so many of them…' she whispered into the darkness. Lost in the darkness Crystal whistled, summoning her friend to her. Somewhere down the line she heard a little rattle. 'There you are.'

Helios' ball was rattling a few shelves away, and soon she was holding him in her hands. 'Oh, I missed you, Helios. Would you mind working as my little heater tonight?' A small growl trickled from the ball. 'Thank goodness. And maybe you can tell Morpheus to stop trying to trick me.'

Crystal straightened up and turned around to face her compatriot. 'Um… sooo… tea?' she asked with a bashful smile.

It was a little bit embarrassing, to be honest. Standing in pajamas in the backroom, shivering and talking to a pokéball. They may have met a long time ago, but they had never really been… familiar with one and other.

But maybe she shouldn't have been embarrassed. A lighthearted smirk cracked across Silver's face, and his eyebrow popped up again.

'Sure. Let's have tea.'

He certainly wasn't the same boy that had pushed her from the window when they were twelve. He was softer now, kinder. She could still see the hardship in his steely eyes, but now there was something else. Something she couldn't remember being there before.

Crystal slid past him and made her way as casually as possible back to her room, listening to the sound of their footsteps echoing around the sterile room. They passed silently past the rooms filled with slumbering trainers. The room that Crystal was renting was at the back, the room where traveling gym leaders and other significant figures were housed. It really wasn't that much larger than any other room, but whereas the other guests were expected to eat the food served in the Pokémon Center, this room was equipped with a little kitchen, a kettle, a pot, and a few dishes. They were nothing special, just the accumulation of kitchen things that had piled up over the past few decades.

Before she could reach for the door it popped open, a sign that Morpheus had been waiting for her. Wasn't he in for a surprise?

'I'm sorry, Morpheus,' Crystal said as soon as she walked into the room. 'I got distracted.'

The two large glimmering eyes moved very slowly from their trainer to the new presence in the room. As Morpheus' body lit the room for them, he caught full sight of the trespasser. His ears pressed back and he began to snarl.

'Morpheus!' Crystal cried, quickly going over to the aggravated creature, and staring him down. 'Don't be rude. Silver's my guest.'

But the feline did not look convinced. He rested his head upon his paws, but vigilant eyes watched as their former adversary made his way across the room. Crystal kept her eyes upon her little friend as she moved to the kitchen. A little roar from her hand reminded her that she hadn't let her Arcanine out yet.

'Sorry Helios,' she said as she tapped the release on the pokéball. The huge creature was soon sitting on the other side of the room, blocking the doorway. With one huff the entire room was suddenly warmer. A jagged smile cut across the Arcanine's face.

'Thanks you,' Crystal said, sighing with relief. 'Would you help me with just one more thing?' She snatched the teakettle off the counter and gave the wildcat a look. Helios nodded. He made his way across the room with surprising agility, and was soon pressing Silver against the wall with his massive body. Laughing lightly, Crystal turned around and filled up the kettle.

'Here you go,' she said, holding the pot out. Helios puffed a small strain of fire at the pot until it whistled, and then made his way back to the other side of the room, where he curled up on the floor for a well-deserved rest. As he passed Silver his tail accidentally hit him in the face, knocking the man back a step. Although he had heard Crystal reprimand the Umbreon for his poor behavior, Helios was not about to miss out of the opportunity to show his contempt for the man his human friend had allowed in her room.

With another glare at her two furry companions Crystal stepped over to the cupboard and withdrew a small metal container, scooping up enough tealeaves for the two of them.

'I'm really sorry about them,' Crystal said, shaking her head as she prepared the tea. 'Normally they're really well behaved. Morpheus, scoot over and let Silver sit down.'

'I don't' mind standing.' Silver cast a weary glance at the black lump on the bed. The gold bands across Morpheus' body flickered briefly, but he did not stir.

'Don't be silly,' Crystal said, with a soft smile. 'He won't bite.' The cat raised his head a bit and showed his fangs, glistening in the dimly lit room. Crystal hesitated. 'He shouldn't, anyway. But don't worry. I… I can't imagine you'll do anything silly enough to warrant being bitten.'

There was a disgruntled snort from the bed as the pokémon made his way to other end of the bed, stilling throwing contemptuous looks at the redhead. Silver frowned.

'How do you like your tea?' asked the girl, her back turned, as she reached for two cups. 'Not that it matters. I don't have anything to put in it.'

'That's fine, thanks.'

The petite girl turned around with a look of half confusion and amusement on her face, a look that Silver seemed to notice.

'Straight tea. Right. And… you're welcome.'

Crystal set the two cups on the floor, and quickly stole two pillows from under Morpheus. He peeked at her from under a heavy eyelid, but was too tired to bother playing with her. Crystal tossed the pillows on the ground, one by Helios and the other nearer the kitchen. She picked up the kettle off the counter and set it on the floor, settling in against the warm orange body of her Arcanine.

'If you don't want to sit on the bed we can sit on the floor,' she said, very aware of Silver's uneasiness. She wasn't sure the last time she had been in such an awkward situation, but for some reason she really wanted him to stay.

Hesitation held his body still for a moment before he finally gave in and knelt down on the pillow across from her. It was becoming increasingly apparent that Silver wasn't sure he wanted to be here. Crystal leaned forward and poured the tea, leaving hers to cool for a moment.

'You can leave if you want,' mumbled Crystal, pulling her knees up to her chest. 'I… I know we really don't know each other very well. I don't want to force you to be here.' She was entirely aware that she and Helios were blocking the door, but she knew she should at least offer.

Although he seemed to be asleep, the light that Morpheus emitted flickered for a moment. She would have to scold him for being so impolite later.

But Silver's grey eyes stayed on her. At that very moment Crystal was glad that the light from her little friend's body was dim, for she could feel blood burning in her cheeks.

'You're not forcing me to stay here.' Silver stretched out one leg and picked up his tea, giving it one blow before drinking. It had to be scalding hot still, but he didn't seem to care.

Despite the fact that she didn't really believe him (she was blocking the door with a huge, ferocious canine) she didn't protest. Crystal nodded her head slowly, watching him carefully.

'Thank you for coming in. I know it's all a bit random,' confessed the girl. 'But to be honest… it's really nice seeing someone from the past. I really don't get to see any old, um... friends very often.'

And it was true. Crystal was so busy with all of her League duties that she very seldom saw anyone. She really didn't know a whole lot of people, and had never really had an abundance of friends, but she had to admit that it was nice seeing Ethan every once in a while.

'Old friends…' mused the red haired boy.

'Hey, we left on good terms.' Crystal pointed at him, knowing what he was thinking. 'I know that we didn't really get along in the beginning but-'

'I was kind of a jerk,' he chuckled. That little hint of a smile was back.

A smile spread across Crystal's face. She laughed. 'Yes. Yes you were. That first time that I saw you, you pushed me so hard I nearly fell over.'

He winced. 'I'm sorry about that. I was just…'

'I get it,' she said softly. 'It's okay now.'

Guilt clouded his eyes, but Silver didn't say anything. He took another sip of his tea and waited quietly for her to continue speaking.

'Despite that, I know you really grew. I don't know when it was... Maybe a year after we met? When Team Rocket took over the Goldenrod Tower and you saw me in the Team Rocket uniform. You threw a fit. It was actually pretty sweet.' She kept talking as she reached for her tea. 'And then right before I went to battle the Elite Four you showed up again.' She broke out in to a slightly confused smile. 'And even though I had beaten you, you looked genuinely pleased with yourself. You said something about Lance being right and-'

'The Dragon trainer?' Silver interrupted. There was a certain look of determination on his face as he asked. Crystal vaguely recalled Lance talking about the petulant teenager, but he had never said much. But, she thought again, he always looked a little bit sad when he had mentioned Silver, not that the boy had come up very often.

'Yeah. I replaced him as league champion. He's actually one of my really good friends now. Do you know each other?'

Silver nodded slowly, thinking something over. 'We've met once or twice. He's someone I really admire.'

'Well,' she said, a tired smile crawling leisurely across her face, 'if you ever want to talk to him again, I can arrange something. I'm sure he would love a good battle, if you would be interested in that sort of thing.'

'Crystal… Why exactly did you invite me back here? We've never really been friends… In fact… We kind of hated each other. I mean, you should have walked away when you saw me. You have no reason to be nice to me.'

Crystal's head flopped to the side. It was too early in the morning for her to be doing this. But she loved it. She missed talking to people, missed human interaction and all of the awkwardness that she always enjoyed sorting through. This was one of those moments she had long been deprived of. There were really only so many awkward conversations you could fix when you spoke to the same few people all the time.

With a surprisingly quick hand Crystal snatched up her cup and took a long, steady sip. The cup came from her lips, popping quietly as they peeled from the porcelain. She was smiling at him, a constant, engaging smile beneath her heavy brown eyes.

'We didn't see each other for four years. I'm not going to hold a grudge against you.'

She took another sip, feeling the dregs brush against her lips.

'And if I hadn't talked to you how would I have known whether or not I still disliked you? People change, Silver. I'm not the kind of person to think that someone I haven't seen in years is the same person that I knew. More tea?'

Crystal leaned forward and poured another cup for herself, then titled it at him, asking silently if he wanted any more. Silver's eyes searched her face, studying for the slightest sign of insincerity. She could feel the intensity with which he examined her, as though his determination was heat burning into her skin. She let her eyes fall to his cup as she refilled it. Maintaining her serenity was no problem. After all, she had nothing to hide.

Their eyes caught one again as she leaned back, holding the steaming teacup in her hand. Confusion was clear in his eyes, but there was also something else. Something softer. Silver picked up his replenished cup and took a sip. Maybe he was just biding his time, using the silence to think things over. Crystal closed her eyes for a moment, fatigue finally sinking in. She leaned into Helios' wiry fur. She was relaxed, warm, and in the company of… of another human being.

'I don't know about you,' Crystal yawned as she forced her eyes open, 'but I'm exhausted. We should have breakfast tomorrow. We can talk then. But I think it's finally time for me to go to sleep.'

After a short pause Silver agreed. He stood up very slowly, never letting his eyes drift from Crystal's face. Silver paused briefly before crossing to Crystal and extending his hand to her. With delicate acceptance she took his hand, and pulled herself up to stand in front of him. Behind her, Arcanine unwound, standing up and pushing his way past them to unblock the door. Helios settled in the kitchen with a thump.

There was a small silence before Silver agreed. He stood up slowly, his eyes never drifting from her face. Crystal was very aware of his intensity as he extended his hand out to her. She looked up at him with a small smile, and took his hand. As he pulled her up Helios uncurled, and began moving from the door. He bumped Silver again as he passed, knocking the red head into Crystal.

'Sorry!' he uneasily exclaimed. He stepped back abruptly.

Crystal giggled softly. 'It's okay. So… I'll see you tomorrow?'

Silver shifted. 'Sure. I'll see you.'

He made as if to pass her, but as he moved something drew Crystal forward, as though there was something inside her chest pulling her forward. Without realizing it, Crystal hugged him, wrapping herself around him and settling her head into his chest. Despite her exhaustion, she blushed. Luckily he couldn't see it.

Beneath her arms, she felt Silver's body stiffen, and for a moment she didn't know what to do. She began to pull away, but as she did she felt him loosen, felt his arms settle on her back. Crystal closed her eyes and melted into the embraced.

'Thank you for having tea with me,' she said slowly, unsure just what was going on anymore. She listened to his heartbeat.

'Yeah. Thank you for… a nice night.' She could feel his voice resonating inside his chest, sensed it as it rattle against her body. She let go, a tired smile hiding her confusion.

'Silver…?' she asked tenuously. What was she doing? What no earth was she doing? Nothing made sense to her anymore. As she peeled away, heavy lidded eyes staring up at him, she felt lost, confused. What was she even thinking? 'I'm going away for a few weeks, maybe a few months. Would you… I don't know, do you want to come with me? I could always use some friendly company,' she said, her eyes stinging with fatigue. 'And I'm sure my team wouldn't mind a little bit of friendly competition.'

In that moment Silver dwarfed her. There was confused amusement in his eyes, and a small smile cracking at the corner of his mouth. Silver took a step away, walking toward the door, his eyes still on her.

'When are you leaving?' he asked as his fingers settled on the brass doorknob.

She could feel the blood beginning to gather beneath her cheeks. 'You'd really come?'

'Didn't you want me to?'

'I… I have a few things left to do. I'm now sure when I'm going yet. I probably have a week or so left until I'll be really ready to go. I haven't really packed yet, I mean it's going to be freezing, and I need to visit my mum again before I go. She would kill me if I didn't come around for her birthday. And...'

For a moment she saw the Silver that she had known as a younger girl: the impatient, brash young man that had chased her down streets, demanding a battle. She could feel the memories flowing through her skull and pressing against her teeth, but she held back, waiting instead for him to respond.

'How about you give me a call?' His face softened as he pulled out his communicator. 'And when you are ready, I'll meet you there. Just… give me a heads up first.'

There was the hint of humor in his voice as he passed her the device.

Crystal's mind was buzzing. The prospect of a new friend, especially someone as mysterious as Silver, drew her to him. They hadn't spoken much, but she could already tell that he had undergone a drastic change since their first meeting. Crystal took the communicator, punched in her number and called her number, capturing his in seconds.

She held the communicator back out to him, smiling as he opened the door.

'See you at breakfast,' he said with a blindly whole smile.