Adam stayed with Vera as they returned to Koller's shop and he let her go down the ladder first before following her.

Koller was still in his shop, sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. It had been too long since he had heard from anyone and he was beyond sick. His head jerked upwards when he heard the bricks to his hidden entranceway open up and when he almost ran around the corner, his heart leapt when he saw Vera, but dropped again when he saw Adam and how he was obviously glaring at him from behind his shades.

"Thank God you're safe!" Koller still exclaimed as he rushed up to Vera but stopped just shy of throwing his arms around her. He wanted to hug her but didn't know how she would react to such an action. "Please don't do that again."

"It worked right?" Vera gave him a smile. "Told you I'll be back."

"What did you do?" Koller had to ask.

"Turns out," Adam spoke up, drawing both of their attentions, "that Otar Botkoveli is Vera's Godfather. She's known him practically her whole life."

Koller was in disbelief, "What?!" He looked at Vera and nudged his finger towards her, "Then what was this whole thing of you being scared of me for working with the Dvali? You've got guaranteed protection!"

Vera explained herself even though she understood where Koller was coming from, "I don't have guaranteed protection; only Otar knows me. But even so, the Dvali still scare me. They're all criminals and evil: Otar included. I haven't seen him in over a decade because I didn't want to be associated with someone in that line of work. My father was the one who still remained close to him. When you mentioned that it was his goons after you, I thought that maybe I could do something about it. Otar's always liked me even if I did try to severe ties from him so I took a gamble and it worked out."

"That was too reckless," Adam spoke up from behind.

Koller nodded in his agreement. "I didn't know what to think when they threw you in that van."

"You too, Koller," Adam said sharply, making the doctor flinch. "You shouldn't have let her leave. What if you were wrong about it being Otar's men? What if Otar didn't take kindly to Vera's change? She could have been killed, harvested, or sold to the highest bidder!"

Vera looked back at Adam when Koller spoke, "H-hey man, I tried! Trust me, I don't want anything bad to happen here! To any of us!"

Vera slowly stepped between Koller and Adam as Adam kept his gaze on the doctor. "It was my choice, Adam," Vera defended Koller. "Vaclav tried to have me stay; he really did but I wouldn't listen. I'm sorry for acting so rash but don't take this out of him. He helped me so I was trying to help him."

Adam sighed after a moment and finally looked away. "Fine," was all he said.

After another silence fell in the room, Vera turned when Koller very lightly touched her exposed shoulder. "You, uh, left your stuff here."

Vera, grateful for the silence to be broken, smiled faintly, "Oh yeah. I'd like to get that." She followed Koller just a little further in his shop when they continued to converse with each other.

"I'm sorry to worry you, Vaclav," Vera said as she grabbed her coat and slipped it on. She said with a smile as she took her over the shoulder bag that he handed her, "I could tell that you were scared."

Koller grinned back and acted oblivious to her statement, "You were the one shaking. I was just trying to be brave for you." All joking aside, he was terrified and he knew that she knew but he appreciated her company in his time of crisis. In fact, he hated to see it go and dreaded her near departure again. He tried what he could now, "Hey, if you'd like, you could come work in the store for me? The last girl who worked here won't return again after the first Dvali attack so I'm kinda short staffed with it being just me. I'll pay you and besides, the store needs to be cleaned and you did a great job on my office."

Vera smiled bashfully and shrugged, "Thanks, I appreciate it Vaclav but honestly, after I go home, I don't really want to come back to any of this life."

Vera could read the sudden sad expression that washed across Koller's face even if he did speak with enthusiasm, "Aw, no don't say that! What if I need you to scare away more thugs? Or you need repairs? You should stick around! Come see your trusty doctor every now and then!"

Vera laughed softly and shrugged again. "I don't know. Maybe. I'll think about it."

"You should," Koller pressed, almost begging. "If there's ever anything you want me to look at, I'd love to." He grew slightly flustered suddenly as he stammered, "I mean augmentations of course."

Vera couldn't hold back another laugh and met Koller's cheeky grin with one of her own, "Alright fine. …. If there's anything I want you to look at, I'll come by." She teased, "About my augmentations of course."

Koller nodded. "Then it's a deal. But I won't keep you any longer."

"See you around, Vaclav," Vera said as she turned away. She didn't see if he did anything else as she finally left with Adam.


They were up on the surface again but before the two departed, Adam looked at Vera as she stared at nothing. He could see the fatigue and exhaustion on her face as everything had finally calmed down. He wasn't sure on when she had slept last.

"Are you going home now?" Adam asked her.

Vera glanced over at him then ahead again, "I don't know. I don't really want to be there when he first shows up. He might think I'm a robber or something. I'd rather show up after he's home."

"Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

Vera shook her head casually. "Not really. … I mean, I can go back to Otar but… I really don't want to. I'll find a place."

Adam was silent and looked over at his apartment complex just nearby, "You can stay with me tonight." he looked back to meet Vera's eyes.

She was blushing, "Oh no, you already do so much for me Adam. And besides, it'd be inappropriate, right?"

Adam smiled very vaguely, "You've already taken a shower there. I think it'll be alright."

Vera hesitated on the thought. She wasn't opposed to his offer but she just felt awkward about it. She wondered if Adam knew about how her heart would jump every time he looked at her and that's why she was scared of being alone with him at night. She wouldn't try anything, it was just the thought that made her uncomfortable. But… it was either Adam's place, Otar's, or the streets. Adam's was by far the most appealing.

"I suppose so," she finally caved.


When they entered, Vera felt like it was the first time she had been there. She set her stuff down and after a moment, she took a seat on the couch and rubbed her face roughly with her hands while keeping her eyes closed.

"You should sleep," Adam suggested as he stood in his kitchen. He was getting ready to pour himself his routine glass of whiskey but offered her something. When she asked for only water, he obliged by bringing her a fresh glass.

"I don't know if I can," Vera sighed after she took a long drink. Her heart gently picked up as Adam took a seat next to her on the couch. "It's exciting. I'm finally going to go home." She stole a glance at him and saw that his coat was off but he still had his combat vest on. Her eyes almost became glued to the beautiful black carbon of his augmented arms.

"Was it true what you said?" Adam asked as he looked in her direction. "Are you gonna leave this life behind when you go home? Try to go back to the old one?"

Vera awkwardly looked away and rubbed her neck softly, "Yeah it was. …. B-but if you still needed anything. I'll do what I can to help. If you have more questions, I'll try to answer them, I promise."

She was almost shocked when she heard a small chuckle erupt from his throat. "Thanks," Adam spoke. He then became serious, "I just want you to be safe Vera. This life isn't what it was. I don't want you to get hurt even more than you have. I know what it's like to lose everything and I hate seeing it happen to those around me."

"Was that…," she hesitated as she began to indicate his arm, "was that a result of whatever happened?"

Adam nodded and lifted his arm to look at his hand. "Like you, I didn't choose this life but it's the one I live now. Sometimes, I'm still not used to it…." he suddenly turned his head to her when he felt her lightly touch his bicep.

Vera flinched away quickly, "S-sorry! I just wanted to see what it felt like."

"You're fine," Adam assured. After a moment's hesitation, she slowly touched her fingertips to Adam's metal arm.

As she felt his augment, the two sat in silence. Vera became lost in his Sarif augs and Adam became lost in the touch of another. A touch that was kind and gentle. Not harsh or trying to kill him. It was something he wasn't used to but something he wanted to savor.

Vera's touch changed from barely to more full as she would slide her whole palm on his arm and down to his forearm. "I've never seen augs these nice before. They're so realistic…."

Adam would move his eyes from her hand to her eyes every now and then. When her fingers reached his wrist, Adam subconsciously turned his hand over to be palm up. He didn't realize how desperate he was to just feel what it was like to hold someone's hand again. He held his breath as her fingers slid into his palm and it was as if the feeling of her pulse through her contact would cause her heart to explode.

"C-can you," Vera's face was too hot for comfort, "actually feel this? Or do you just know that I'm touching you? Can you feel warmth? Flesh?"

Adam nodded and vaguely wet his lips before speaking, "I can." And it feels amazing. When her fingertips touched his, Adam closed his hand around hers without knowing of his actions. He had entwined his fingers with hers and the feeling of his heart rate matching in tempo with hers through the pulse in her palm made him dizzy.

It had been so long. So long since he's felt the touch of another. The affection of another. His eyes moved to hers and her face was as red as her swollen lips that she continually would bite nervously.

He hadn't been in a relationship with someone for a few years now. Ever since his accident, he was always honestly disgusted with himself. He didn't know how anyone could look at him the way that she did but here Vera sat. He knew that she had developed a self hated and depression about herself even if she didn't show it. It was too obvious to hide from him. Even augmented, she was just recently a natural and when they had first met at Ruzicka Station, she then didn't seem scared of him. She had accepted him before she even knew his name.

So long. His hand was gripping hers tighter now. He didn't know what a hug felt like. Even his friends and those he helped never once dared throw such an action his way. His eyes continued to find her lips as he thought of a kiss. He had almost forgotten what a woman's touch was like; lips against lips. Lips against neck. Tongue against tongue.

Adam felt intoxicated by his thoughts and he shifted in his seat to face her a little more. He released her hand only to raise his fingers to her jawline. He hesitated. He didn't know if he should touch her until he listened to her uneven breathing and noticed how her nails dug into her pants at her thighs.

Adam exhaled finally when his metal fingers touched her face and slowly slid up to a caress. Slowly did he slide his fingers by her ear and into her long black hair. Obeying with his pressure, Vera willingly leaned forward as he gently pulled her head closer to his.

Adam could feel her breath against his lips and his mind fought with his body. He wanted so desperately to kiss Vera and to pull her up against him but his mind told him no. That she would reject him. He closed his eyes and when his lips just brushed hers, his mind then flashed with images of Megan. Him kissing her, holding her, being over her as they made love and Adam had to jerk away.

"I-I'm sorry," Adam quickly apologized and stood up to get away from her. "This isn't why I asked you to stay the night." he started walking away, grabbing the whiskey bottle as he did. "It was inappropriate of me."

Vera's chest was tight and her stomach was in a knot. It hurt to watch him walk away and she looked away as he stopped walking just to see if she would say anything. She lightly touched her lips with her fingers, "No, I'm sorry Adam. I shouldn't have come." She felt like an idiot.

Adam looked back at her as she leaned forwards with her elbows on her knees and her head down. "You did nothing wrong Vera. It was my fault so please don't blame yourself." he looked away towards his bedroom. "Just try to get some sleep."

Vera covered her face with her hands as she rubbed her forehead roughly. He was right. It was inappropriate and she needed to only worry about the morning.

Adam closed his bedroom door behind him and sat roughly on the edge of his bed. He felt so stupid; like a fool and also like a total asshole. He cursed himself endlessly as his mind was plagued with perpetual thoughts of Megan now. He removed the lid to his whiskey bottle and took a large drink right out of it.