The journey back to the hotel was easier and seemed faster to Jake. But it was markedly different.

For one Tawaya was beside Jake and stayed semi-glued to his hip. Evidentially her worry was such that she was not going to be anywhere other than arms-reach of her little human until he was safely discharged back to 'his world'.

The other major difference was that Tawaya was much more vocal then during their first walk together.

One of the funniest aspects of their talking was that for the most part Jake let her direct the conversation, and he tried his best to not laugh at her sometimes. At one point for over ten minutes she talked about meat, cooking, and food.

She explained that on some hunts it was the objective to get a certain exotic game-meat, and those other times were purely for the sport and the trophies and so on.

But Jake wasn't really into hunting, nor was any of his close family, so when she talked about it he struggled to say anything other than the occasional question which put the 'ball' back in Tawaya's court and allowed her to talk more about it generally.

Eventually she talked about the time which she briefly mentioned to Jake when she had hunted a Lion here on earth. After her story Jake recalled something that he thought Tawaya might find interesting.

Clearing his throat Jake spoke up in the brief quiet since she finished her little tale. "Obviously I don't hunt, like you, or, ha, at all really."

Tawaya looked at him as he continued.

"But I do have a bit of a story,"

Tawaya was quite peeked, "Really? This is good; it is a practise which we share, humans and us" She pointed proudly at herself "hunting."

Jake nodded and smiled uneasily at her enthusiasm, her strength and eagerness to kill shit was still unsettling. Collecting himself he continued.

"There was this one time my father told me about, this was a really long time ago when I was younger, like." He laughed "When I was this little."

He held his hand out a few feet off the ground, about at his waist.

"Anyway, he told me this the day after it happened over the phone. He was in Africa representing his company or whatever and he was meeting this other businessman."

Tawaya's brow furrowed, 'I need to ask him what it is his people 'do' when he says this 'business' talk…'

"For the meeting my father stayed at this guy's private estate in, Kenya I think, and while they were talking and stuff the guy invites my father to join him on a safari. He thought he meant just a look and take pictures kind of safari, but no the guy brings some rifles and his gun-porter and all that stuff."

Jake looked up, making sure he was doing a good job of telling the story and that his Yautja was paying attention. Though it had to do with the domain of predatory activity and so Tawaya was quite attentive.

The boy continued, "Then they get out there on this one stretch of plain and the guy tells my father that there's been this lion couple or a solo male who's been killing a large number of this guy's livestock."

He stopped and brought a hand to his head as he struggled to remember.

"Oh hell… I'm not good at this. Ugh, basically he thought they could talk, or bond, or whatever, for this business deal over hunting a literal lion. My father, he's not really the hunting type and he's like 'what am I supposed to do here?'" Jake laughed.

As they walked he paused while they stepped over a fallen log and some thick underbrush.

"So they're out there in this place tracking a lion and all that… Well, heh, anyway I forget most of it but the point is they went out trying to hunt a lion and they finally ended up shooting an Antelope or Impala or something and the two of them were scared shitless cause once they actually got out of the car it was completely different you know?"

Jake's smiling and jovial air dissipated rather quickly, he'd always thought the anecdote was really funny but, he became both embarrassed and disappointed that Tawaya didn't have at all the reaction he was hoping for, or expecting.

Though it was mostly due to the fact that he botched it and made himself sound like an idiot.

"I suppose, it's a little funnier when he told it…"

'Ugh… now I feel like fucking dumbass…' he thought.

Obviously a lot of things were going to be lost in translation with the alien, so even if he had of been a better story teller it didn't necessarily mean the result would be different.

While it was such a trivial thing but Jake couldn't help but take on one of his habitual expressions, a look of, embarrassed, dejection.

But it wasn't like Tawaya couldn't tell. It irritated her, she had hoped that their earlier 'discussion' would have sapped his desire to mope, but evidentially he still needed work.

She was thinking about the situation, she could tell he was embarrassed or something similar, and begrudgingly she remembered when she had suffered something which was similar. The large and imposing Yautja shuddered and cringed.

Jake heard her move oddly and he heard her make a low whinny or sneeze-like sound and he looked up.

"Ha, what was that?" he asked.

She looked down, realising he had seen her expression and that she had actually made noise.

"I just remembered something… Not exactly like what you told me but…" She made a regretful sigh.

Eventually she relented and her shoulders and head moved as if to say 'Fine'.

"I was meeting with my clan, some of my clan." She took a breath and sighed again. "There was this one member, I will not say his name, but he was after me."

Jake furrowed his brow, "After you?"

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

Shaking his head Jake wanted to hit himself for being so stupid, again.

"Continue…" he said while clutching his temple.

"He had much honour and he was bold and…"

Jake felt awkward hearing these details and out of pain he finally interrupted her "… so what did he do?"

Tawaya failed to notice Jake's un-comfort, but obliged at his insistence.

"Oh yes, well. We were doing a dance and we were both enjoying wine and I said…" She laughed but then abruptly stopped.

She brought one of her fingers to her mouth and stroked her tusk as she thought.

"I said…"

Jake looked at her as she struggled to think.

"It's been so long… I don't know what was funny about it anymore…"

Jake snorted.

"Really?" he laughed a little and continued, "Well that went nowhere."

Tawaya furrowed her brow as she was now disappointed. 'What did I say that night?' she began struggling to think and remember.

Jake spoke up again "Are there any other stories about your exes that I should know? Preferably ones that make sense, ha!"

She looked at him, 'Exes?' she thought.

"Any that treated you poorly I've got to beat up?" He laughed again.

"What is 'exes' Little Jake?"

"Oh, exes are like. An ex-boyfriend, like… an ex is something that used to be something."

He looked around for a pertinent example to help illustrate.

Pointing at a tree he continued, "If I were to burn a tree you could then call it an ex-tree afterwards. So if you are with someone they're your boyfriend or girlfriend or husband… partner, whatever, after that if you, I don't know, break up or something they become your ex-partner or so on."

Tawaya nodded, "Ah…"

Then Jake laughed and continued, "So are there any crazy Yautja that might lose it if they see you with a little human?" He shook his head and giggled.

"Man I thought it was bad in an interracial relationship, but this is probably completely out of the ballpark in comparison."

Tawaya's thoughts went for a spin after what he said. She had thought that their interaction might have been against the rules, the unspoken rules, before and it worried her, but at the time she first thought that she was thinking about other things too.

But now when he had actually said out loud what she'd previously thought she felt an incredible fear and pain in her mind.

What would happen to her if anyone found out?

Or him

Quietly Tawaya began to withdraw from the moment as her thoughts became more troubled.

Jake however came up with another question to ask her.

"Tawaya," he paused, "Am I the first human you've met?"

It was a naïve question. Jake knew she mentioned that she 'people watched', but he had no idea what Yautja usually did in their interactions with humans.

Numbly she shook her head in response.

"Oh. Really?" Jake looked at her in surprise.

"How often or like… hmm hang on." He thought on how best to phrase his question. "How much interaction do you guys do with humans? Like… I mean you're an alien! It's still so unbelievable…"

Her voice seemed quieter, as she responded. "Not that much Little Jake." She thought it best to not really answer him.

Regardless of all this though the pair continued walking.

Eventually they became quiet, but Jake didn't really notice, nor did he find an issue with it. This time around it wasn't too hot and the sound of the birds and ambience didn't annoy him.

But if Jake had of been paying closer attention he would have noticed that she was now looking at him oddly.

'Telling Little Jake I've killed humans before would probably not be wise…'

Telling him, this is wrong is probably not either…' she thought and shook her head.

As she thought Jake started speaking up again, but she was no longer paying attention to what the boy was saying.

'This is not supposed to be.' A voice said in her head. 'We are not compatible, we are not the same. We are different. And we kill each other.'

'This needs to end.' She thought.

Her chest became heavy and an insidious tear in her stomach began to bother her. Then a horrible thought came to her and she couldn't help but agree; 'This has all been a mistake.'

She looked at his neck. His small and thin body wouldn't put up a fight to her. She knew that she could do what needs to be done, leave here and never have to think or worry about this again. She wouldn't have to fear any reprisal from another Yautja, the sin on her honour would be wiped away.

It would be an easy move of her bare hands, or a quick use of the knife.

She knew where to hit, he wouldn't see it coming and it wouldn't hurt. It would be an honourable and merciful option.

She nodded.

This xenophilic experience was at its end and part of her was resolved to finish it.

But… he's…

She closed her eyes for a beat, and part of her took over. Demanding that she not think any more about it; demanding that she not change her mind.

Fear, and honour… and other indefinable forces overrode her personal convictions and demanded she kill the boy and forget about it all.

Putting a hand on her hip she felt along her belt and eventually took hold of one of her knives drawing it she was resolved and prepared to do it.

Tawaya felt like she was being automated by something that just so happened to be inside her head, directing her actions.

She stopped walking alongside him and he took two paces ahead of her before he realized she was no longer beside him. He was so focused on his thoughts or what he was saying that it took him longer to realise it but he still didn't expect anything.

He was still talking away, though this whole time Tawaya couldn't hear him.

She could only hear the jungle ambience muffled by the loudness of her heartbeat in her ears.

Ba-bump, Ba-bump

The familiar sound before she delivered a killing strike.

Then he turned around to look at her, and he finished what he was saying. Coyly he looked to the side while smiling, and then he looked back up and into her eyes.

He stopped her train of thought.

Those bright, light blue, eyes looking back at her were framed and made brighter by the dark circles of makeup around them and that was made darker by the light colour of his skin.

The adrenaline in her system made his movements slower to her perception.

Even his earnest facial expression added to the sight before her, and to Tawaya he just appeared to be moving slowly, as if he were underwater.

Wetting his lips and clicking his piercings he smiled at her again before speaking, and as he did so a tough shot went through her chest.

I can't do it…

Her hand let go of the blade handle and she looked back at him before he repeated himself and asked; "You okay?"

She looked around and up into the canopy.

"You seem like you were thinking about something, or you were distracted or, I don't know."

She took a few steps forwards and passed him, "Your kin are expecting you."

Jake looked at her uneasily, her demeanour had entirely changed. But he didn't know why or what to say, so quietly he walked after her.

It was a few minutes more of this new quiet till Jake saw the foliage begin to thin in front of them.

Then finally he could see the faint glimmers of buildings and man-made structure.

His chest jumped up in excitement, and he was relieved of an anxiety he didn't realise he had, being so far from the familiar, and also being entirely dependent on something he didn't truly know, were both very powerful stressors.

Now, so close to his temporary home, civilization, his family, the familiarity of asphalt and concrete.

The idea of no longer being surrounded by stifling and unfamiliar nature was so relieving to Jake he made a little noise, a shriek or an eek of excitement and happiness that he was out of the rainforest.

He grabbed hold of Tawaya's arm and hugged it tightly, grateful that she'd led him back.

Letting go of her large arm he beamed a smile towards her and then turned to jump over the underbrush in front of them.

Running towards the edge of the thick canopy they were under Jake was breathing deeply and he felt nothing but a peculiar sense of happiness. The adventure for the day was over.

Passing the border of forest-floor and manicured grass Jake enjoyed the freedom and the rain of sunlight now pouring down on him. The best part, he thought, was that it wasn't blocked by anything coloured green anymore.

He threw his head back and closed his eyes while extending both his arms out.

He did a pirouette or two with arms out palms up before finally falling down on the grass.

"So… Tawaya, when will I see you again?"

At the edge of the trees and flora, Tawaya stood quietly watching all around.

Finally looking down at the boy she responded. "In two days Jake. I will see you here."

Jake's head rose off the grass and then he quickly stood.

"Okay, two days?"

She nodded, and looked away from him.

Intensely her eyes scanned the surroundings for unwanted observers.

Walking back up to her Jake noticed her changed attitude. She wasn't just being or acting cautious, she seemed off for some reason.

"Hey, so can I hug you?"

Tawaya's expression softened and she looked down at him.

'Of course…' she thought and wanted to say. But she felt badly, she felt fearful, and dirty.

Eventually she blurted out "Yes you may"

Jake smiled at her, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, tightly squeezing her as she firmly gripped him back.

"Go now, your blood is waiting for you…"

Jake looked up at her and nodded, he didn't want to let her go but he knew he had to.

"Okay… Just, don't forget to come back okay?"

She shook her head, "I won't."

He walked towards the hotel and periodically looked back at her after a few steps.

Eventually he looked and she had gone. There wasn't a branch moving or anything to indicate she had walked away, she simply faded away into the green and dark backdrop of the jungle.

Jake would have thought more about it, and likely would have tried to see where or how she'd gone away if he had the time, but he didn't.

The sooner he got back to his family the better, the sooner he explain things and make his appearance the easier it would be on him in the short-term.

'God I hope I don't get in shit when I get in there…'

Making his way from the side of the hotel's grounds Jake looked for a side entrance or somewhere to enter the complex without having to go through the lobby.

He could already feel the worry about so many people looking at him as he entered growing in his chest.

The side of the hotel he was approaching didn't have anything other than a service entrance which only opened from the inside, and of course was labeled 'employees only' in English Spanish and French.

By now he had walked onto the raised concrete sidewalk which bordered the whole car park, casually looking from side to side he was able to make out what he immediately recognized as the rental vehicle that they had driven from the island's airport in.

Then he saw his first person since the morning.

Across the lot stood a tall, buff, Hispanic man with tightly cropped hair and a short sleeved dress shirt. He had a pair of Ray-Ban's aviators or a similar brand. All together he looked like a real mean and tough kind of guy.

He hadn't noticed Jake yet but when his head turned and he did he immediately brought a walkie-talkie to his mouth.

'Shit… I bet he's literally looking for me right now.'

Moving the walkie-talkie back to his belt the large sun-glassed guy began walking, quickly, towards Jake.

"Tu niño! You are Jake, yes?"

Speaking up Jake responded.

"Si, duh?" His sarcastic tone did not have the desired comedic effect he was looking for.

A few feet away from him now, the man raised a hand and pointed forcefully at Jake.

"You think you're funny? Trying to be cute here? I do not have time to play little games you puta blanca."

The guy got closer to Jake and put his hand onto his neck, gripping him hard and pulling a lot of his hair at the same time.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Jake exclaimed.

With his hand on his neck the man started walking back to where he was previously standing.

After passing his previous post he started towards the front of the hotel.

"I get to do two things on this job I like, getting pussy on the beach and free booze. So spending my entire shift looking for a stupid rich kid is not one of them… Increible…"

"Dude! Let go of my hair!"

"Que? No niño, until we're in the building I 'aint letting go of you."

The guy had a grip like steel and Jake wasn't making it easier on himself.

"You're pulling my hair out you asshole!"

They were walking into the main entrance of the hotel now; the doormen opened the large double doors and the cool air-conditioning of the large lobby greeted the two quick moving males.

Only when they were in front of the concierge desk to the side of the lobby did the Hispanic man let go of Jake. Then his voice changed and he spoke with a level of refinement he didn't have at all earlier.

"Señor, aquí está tu hijo."

Finally free to move his head around Jake turned to face his aggressor and shot him a venomous look. The man removed his sunglasses and stared Jake down.

He had emerald coloured irises and under his right eye was an inch long, very deep, scar.

Of course his dark and intense stare coupled with his ugly scar instantly caused Jake to back down and step away from him.

Then a voice spoke, it was the person that the Hispanic man had previously addressed.

"Muchas gracias, aquí, por tu problema."

Jake's father spoke Spanish too apparently…

The boy slowly turned from the man to face his father, who was holding out a small, but thick, envelope.

Taking the envelope the man bowed his head and acknowledged his patron. "Señor." Then he turned to leave.

Jake's leg started to shake a little as he looked up at his dad. He was wearing a light blue dress shirt, and a pair of white linen pants, one of his few 'casual' outfits. His face was stoic and gave no indicator of relief, or of anger, or even of disappointment. It was just his regular, stoic, resting expression.

The lobby was silent after the departure of the Hispanic man, and his footsteps echoed awkwardly as the only sound other than the spinning of the overhead ceiling fans.

A strategy Jake's father often employed was allowing another to speak first, after which he'd swiftly and skillfully take command of the conversation.

And so the silence grew between them, until finally, as the concierge returned to the desk, Jake spoke.

"H-hey…"

His father looked to either side of the lobby and nodded to the concierge before turning to walk away.

He took a few paces before turning to see Jake's dumbstruck face.

Then he waved, indicating that Jake was to follow him.

Following a few steps behind, father and son turned out of the lobby and down the elevator hall.

As soon as they were out of sight of the concierge and the check-in clerk Jake's father spoke to him.

"A girl you said?"

Jake swallowed his apprehension and nodded, "Yeah, she and I-"

"And what the, fuck, were you two doing? Huh? Some kind of…" He paused, trying to collect himself. "Of suicide-pact thing? That's if she's even real."

Jake shook his head and clenched his teeth tightly, his leg started shaking again.

"N-no father… It's n-not like that!"

The man looked at his son intently; his eyes seemed to scrutinize Jake's very thoughts.

"Well… regardless, you will not be doing that again, do you understand me?"

Jake looked downwards and nodded.

Taking a step closer to his son, Jake's father took hold of his chin and forced him to look back up at him.

"I… I won't do that again."

He nodded in agreement, "If you go anywhere Jake you will; tell, text, or call your mother or myself."

Jake nodded again and his father released his chin.

In his head he had a petulant thought cross his mind, 'she's not my mother' but of course he knew far better than to voice it and silently he leaned back against the wall.

Taking a breath Jake's father stepped back from his son and clicked the nearby elevator button.

"We're going back up to the suite, you're changing and then we're going to go to dinner as a family."

Jake quietly nodded.

"You reek of sweat and salt…" The man scoffed and made a half-enthused chuckle, "Where did you go?"

Clearing his throat the boy spoke up, "We, uh, we went on a hike to this private beach she knew about. It was through the forest a bit so…"

His father nodded and pursed his lips, "Sounds nice…"

"How… how many people were looking for me? And, who was that big asshole who was breaking my neck earlier?"

The man nodded, "About three or four staff were specifically looking for you. They were security types like him."

Jake pushed out his lips and looked down shamefully.

"That one there, the one you called an asshole, is the head of the security for not only the hotel but this whole section of the island."

Beside them they heard a 'ding' and one of the several brass double doors down the hall opened.

Stepping in first Jake's father spoke again, unfazed.

"Come on, I'm not waiting any longer for you."

The boy pushed himself off the wall and quickly followed his dad into the small, intimate, quarters of the elevator.

But as soon as the doors closed his dad immediately lost his stoic expression and slapped Jake right across the jaw.

The strike stunned him and he was so surprised and blindsided by it he was frozen.

As fast as he hit him the man then wrapped his arms around Jake and pulled him tightly into his chest.

His father was breathing erratically and he was actually emotional.

Through the muffling of material Jake heard his father pour out words in a way he'd never heard before in his life.

"Jake, don't you ever do that again! Don't ever do that! I thought I lost you goddamn it!" He took a shallow breath, "I thought I lost my stupid boy…"

Jake was in shock from what he was hearing and from the earlier slap but he didn't know what to do or say back.

The truth was he didn't realise how much his father actually cared.

As fast as the embrace came, it felt over far too quickly for Jake and his father seemed to push the boy away from him as he stood up and straightened out his shirt. But as he looked down at his blue, pattern less, shirt two black, wet, smudge spots glared back up at him and he couldn't help but anxiously laugh.

Jake looked up with his mouth slightly open as his dad put his hand on his son's shoulder and spoke to him earnestly;

"It's going to be okay."