"I have a Degenerative disease. I'm going to die Patricia. Victor-He offered- He offered me a place in the society. The only reason I accepted was so I could live."

She opened and closed her mouth, feeling her eyes prickle with the tears she had repressed before. "I'm sorry." She whispered, feeling two tears roll down her cheeks.

"Don't be." He said in a low sad voice, shaking his head. "I accepted it long ago."

"But that's just unfair! You're so young. You're what? Twenty three? Twenty four? Only six to seven years older than me." Her voice rose as her emotions began to run high.

"It's unfair I know. I'm twenty four and I probably only have one to two years left to live. But there's nothing I can do."

"There has to be something. Maybe we can find a cure in this place."

"Not likely. Unless they have magic, there's nothing that can save me Patricia."

"I'm still going to try. No who should have their whole life ahead like you deserves to die."

He smiled sadly putting his hands on her shoulders and leaning down a little so he could look her directly in the eyes. She flinched a bit but then relaxed into his touch. "Thank you. There's nothing you can do but I appreciate that you care. I don't really have anyone to care what happens to me. My parents died when I was nine. I was brought up by my uncle but he died my senior year of university. So thank you for caring. That means a lot."

Patricia stared at him. She didn't really know what to say to that, to him. This man...who treated her not as a someone who was seven years younger and his student but as an equal and someone who could be trusted.

"Weren't we going to try and find out where we are?" She asked in a voice somewhat higher than usual after a moment of just staring at him.

Jason started, like he had only just noticed how close they were, and stepped back a bit dropping his hands from her shoulders. "Yes. We should. I think our best course of action would be to find someone who lives here."

"Again, thanks Captain Obvious." Patricia retorted but slightly more teasingly than she had said it before.

Jason gave a little grin shaking his head then began to walk down the street.

"Wait for me." Patricia called running after him. She caught up with him when he was standing in front of a sign that read: Open. Then under that, Granny's Diner. "Do you think we'll find people to give us some answers in there?"

"Yes. Well, perhaps. It seems like a good place to start."

"Yeah, so are we going in?"

Jason nods and goes over, opening the door holding it open for Patricia. "Thanks."

"Not at all." He said smiling and then following her inside shutting the door making the bells on it jingle.

"Hello! Welcome to Granny's! What can I get you?" A woman with long dark hair wearing a red button down shirt and black skinny jeans with a bunch necklaces around her neck said smiling brightly. "I'm Red, I'll be your server today."

Patricia glanced at Jason to see him looking back at her, a question in his eyes. "What do you want to do?" She whispered.

"I suppose we just...order something for now. Maybe we can find out what's going on and where we are later." He whispered back.

"Okay. We're ready for our table now." Patricia said loudly turning back to the woman.

"Wonderful. Follow me." She said leading them to a table by the window. "Tell me when you're ready to order." She gave them a smile then walked away.

"So what do we do now?"

Jason sighed. "I don't know." He rooted through the pockets of his pants and suit jacket. "Just as I thought, I didn't bring any money with me. I don't suppose you did?"

"Nope. I don't carry money with me in school."

"Good point."

"So does that mean we can't order something?"

"I guess so, unless they have an on the house special today or something."

"We could ask her, Red. What sort of name is that? I've never heard of anyone named that except Little Red Riding Hood. You don't suppose our server is named after her or something do you."

"Perhaps. Who knows." Jason replied letting out another sigh.