Chapter Six:

"Nina I'm worried about you" Fabian said

"Don't be it's only been a week since you got here. Instead of hugs I've been getting lectures" Nina replied.

"I know I know, I just don't know about the whole paragon Osirian thing. And I'm afraid I'm going to lose you." With that Fabian leaned over the table to give Nina a small kiss on the cheek.

"Better?" Fabian said with a smile.

"Much" Nina replied blushing slightly.

They were in a small coffee shop in California. It was packed as everything was in California, Fabian observed.

"Give him a ring then." Fabian said, starting the lecture again.

"I can't, not right here. What if someone overhears?"

"Fine, let's go outside than."

"Fabian."

"Nina Please, I'm only worried about you for you."

"Okay." Nina said giving into him at last.

"Good." He said satisfied with himself. They stood up to leave, Fabian left a small bill on the table and Nina grabbed her jacket and coffee.

"What am I even supposed to say?"

"I don't know, I guess I didn't really think of that part."

"You not think of everything." Nina teased. She slid the small phone out of her pocket. She scrolled down the contact list looking for Eddie. She hadn't realized that she had been continually scrolling the screen up and down until Fabian placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Nina just call." He said in a kind voice. Nina hit his name and the phone began to ring.

/

The music on the beach was getting louder as the sky darkened. Eddie sat next to Patricia in the sand. She was smiling and watching the waves roll onto the shore. People slowly started dancing and more and more people started jumping into the ocean. He was glad to see her smiling. Eddie stood up and her eyes followed him.

Eddie reached out his hand to her, helping Patricia to her feet. After about a minute she took it and he pulled her to her feet. She was still a little shorter than him; he liked that because he could watch her eyes as they looked up to meet his.

"Want to dance." He asked

"You know I don't dance." She said shaking her head.

"Come on, it isn't really dancing." He said with a false pleading in his tone.

"No" she said starting to sit down trying to stifle a laugh.

"It will just look alternative."

"No." she said again remembering the first time he had said that to her.

"Fine then, I guess I will have to dance all alone... All by myself... With only me and the music..." Eddie said laughing.

"Guess so" Patricia replied. She settled back into the sand, as Eddie started dancing. At first he started swaying back and forth and then he started twirling something invisible.

"You look ridiculous, you know" Patricia said smiling.

"I know, but I'm not going to stop unless someone will come join me." He said. Eddie stopped dancing just long enough to offer his ham back to her.

Once again she took it, and when he pulled her to her feet he didn't let go of her hand. Hesitantly she started moving along with him. The music blasted louder and over that and their laughter no one would ever hear a cell phone ring.

/

Nina pressed end on the call. It was her second try calling him. She turned to Fabian.

"No answer, again." Nina said showing Fabian the phone.

"Nina, maybe we should... Go to them?"

"Are you crazy?!" Nina started to raise her voice. How could he possibly be serious? He didn't answer his phone, he wasn't dying and clearly neither was she.

"Fabian we can't just hop on a plane and fly half way across the country just because someone isn't answering their phone."

Nina knew that she was starting to exaggerate, but the topic had gone on long enough. She was annoyed, not with Fabian but with the whole situation. She wanted to just spend a weekend with him, without worrying about all this.

"Nina think about it?" Fabian said. He was serious about going. He was serious about protecting her.

"This isn't something that you can just talk about over the phone." He continued.

"It isn't something to get on a plane for either!"

"Yes it is." He persisted.

"No, it's not!" Nina was yelling now.

"Can't you see that I'm worried about you Nina? That I'm worried about losing you?"

"I don't need you to worry about me." Nina said it and walked away towards the car. Leaving him there behind her. She only made it a few feet away. They were in a back alley near the end of the street which the coffee shop was on. It was getting late so nobody was lurking around. Nina was glad because then no one could see her.

She shrunk to her knees and started sobbing. She didn't mean to it just came out. Nina knew Fabian was right, knew she could die. Knew that her world that had already changed once could change again and leave her behind in the dust. The silly American who wanted nothing more than to fit in, that's all she was. Look who she was now.

Nina heard footsteps coming towards her; she knew they were Fabians'. He wouldn't just leave, even after she had walked away. She scooted back against the wall and hugged her knees to her chest. Fabian slid down next to her. Nina wiped away her tears and leaned her head on Fabians shoulder.

"I'm sorry" she whispered.

"I'm not mad" Fabian replied. Nina didn't think he would be she just felt like he needed to know that she was sorry. Not just sorry for walking away but sorry for pushing him away when he was trying to help.

"I'm on your side, you know." He said.

"I know." She replied.

"Even if that sides all the way across the country."

"I know." She said again.

"So let's get those plane tickets." Fabian said.

"To Delaware." Nina said looking up at him.

"To Delaware."