Sydneys POV

I nearly pouted at him but didn´t want to give him that satisfaction.

So I got up looking at him one last time before I unzipped the tent and stepped outside into the cool morning air.

He followed me only seconds later, putting his arms around my waist from behind and kissing me on my cheek.

"Good morning" he said, sounding like nothing had happened between us only a minute ago.

"Good morning" I replied looking up into his face.

He was the epitomes of innocent and for a second I really asked myself if I had just made up the whole thing.

He released me than and his hands barely touched my skin between my top and my pants and I was sure I hadn´t.

I walked down to the lake to wash my face. My skin still felt kind of tingly and I couldn´t help but sigh.

When I came back, Adrian offered me a cup of coffee and I looked at him surprised.

"You made coffee" I said "Oh and you made a fire" I said impressed.

"Don´t sound so surprised Sage. I know how to use matches" he went on.

I nudged him and took the cup from out of his hands "Thanks" I said, wrapping my hands around the cup, inhaling the beautiful smell of fresh coffee in the morning.

Even though it was only instant coffee I enjoyed every sip of it.

While I was drinking my coffee Adrian had started to pack our stuff.

I watched him packing the car and went to dress myself inside the tent, while he was freshening up at the lake.

We still didn´t have a plan per se, so we had decided to stay for a bit longer.

We were now lying on the grass under a few trees. My head was resting on Adrians stomach and we were both looking up in the sky.

It was so peaceful out here. The only sound came from the birds above us and every now and than I heard a calming swish in the leaves above us or the grass around us whenever a breeze came by.

"I have been thinking" he suddenly said and it made me move around, so that I could look at him.

"About what exactly?" I asked.

"We are really running out of resources here" he said and I nodded.

"I know".

"I think we should get to court" he than said and I frowned.

"To court?"

I sat up and he followed me.

"I think it´s safer than any other place at the moment" he went on.

"Maybe for you" I said, still unsure if he had thought that through "How will you explain me being there? Or me being there with you?" I asked.

"Why wouldn´t you be there? It´s not like you are a stranger" he said.

"I might as well be" I said.

"How is that?" he asked.

"Your people might know me, but I don´t... and even if I did, why should they take me in?"

"They are not my people Sage. Take Rose for example, she´s your friend" he said.

The name Rose caught me by surprise. There was something oddly familiar about that name.

Rose, how did I know her? Why did that sound so familiar? Something about Russia?

It was like watching a movie trailer. There were many small snatches of memories, that kind of went by to fast and I still couldn´t comprehend everything.

And just like that, every memory fell into place. Me meeting Rose in an alley in Russia, eating french fries with her, the trouble I had been in after helping her and after that, being at court, being questioned.

The memories came crashing down on me.

Me growing up in an alchemist family, never being good enough in the eyes of my father.

I gasped and felt my heart beating way to fast.

Adrians POV

"Are you okay?"

She really started to worry me. She had become a little pale and clutched her chest.

"Sydney?" I asked again after she hadn´t responded and slipped closer to her.

I extended my hand and carefully touched her arm, what brought her back to me.

"What?" she asked looking at me with a hunted look in her eyes.

"What just happened?" I asked still worried.

She shook her head "I... I don´t know. I remembered... things" she than said still sounding kind of absent.

"What kind of things?" I asked. This was a good thing, right? Right?

"I remember Rose... and Russia... and the alchemists" she said slowly.

She was still looking like she was in pain.

"That´s great" I said taking her hands, squeezing them slightly and smiling at her.

She nodded slowly and a small smile appeared on her face "Yes, I guess" she said.

"What´s wrong?" I asked.

"It´s just... so much. I need a moment" she said.

Sydneys POV

My thoughts were still racing.

How in the world had I forgotten about all of that? What had they done to me?

That was a question I desperately needed an answer to, but at the same time was even more afraid to find out.

"What is your plan?" I than asked Adrian.

I felt so helpless in that moment and I hated it.

I needed to take my mind of it, at least for the moment. I needed a plan, something I could work on, something that kept my mind busy.

His eyes still looked worried.

"I mean, we´re going to court and than what?" I asked.

"We´ll go on from there. We could get in touch with people who could help us from there and I could get my hands on some money" he said.

I nodded "Good thing we just came from the direction we´re now going back to" I said with a sigh.

"Yeah, that sucks" he said and we kept quiet for a while.

I was still desperately trying to take my mind of what just happened and tried to concentrate on what was lying in front of us.

Suddenly he took my hands into his palms.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

I looked at him and leaned into his touch "Not now" I than said "But thanks".

His touch felt good. It kind of grounded me.

He nodded and kissed my forehead.

"So I guess we´re off to Pennsylvania" I said.

"We should stay here for the night. It´s almost sundown" Adrian said.

"You´re right. Gives me more time to work out our rote" I agreed.

It made him smile "Yea, that´s my girl".