A/N: About the mask...please don't criticize me about the mask and tell me that without it he would be passed out due to the pain. I don't know much about the mask and how it works anyway.

But, remember there was a point in his life when he was without it, so I think he could handle it for a short time. I actually made the walk to his home 30 minutes, but I was afraid people complain about it not being possible...Anyway...

EDIT: I fixed the water thing, lol. I don't know how I missed that. :)

Chapter 2: Something Else

I followed behind him for about fifteen minutes. I didn't know why I didn't try and catch up with him, I just didn't. I mean, I could have because of how slow he was. I watched him limp towards his house. It was the last house at the end of the street. It was two stories, but not as rundown as mine. It was all by itself, the closest houses being at least 15 metres away.

I stopped a few metres down the street, contemplating what I should do next. I watched him unlock the door and go inside.
I didn't want to knock on his door right away.
He was hurt and tired and would probably be ashamed once I showed up. I considered leaving it on the front steps, but something urged me to go inside. I waited on the step for about five minutes before placing my hand on the doorknob.

It was open. I slowly walked around the open space. It was dark, but slivers of light were peaking through a few boarded windows. The first floor was empty except for the mildly furnished kitchen. There was a door that lead to the basement. I headed up at the second floor where I assumed he was. It was even darker and had three rooms. It looked abandoned, but surprisingly smelt very good...like tree bark or evergreen. There was a bathroom door which was closed, so I walked pass it. The other two rooms were open and were pretty much empty. The last door on the right was shut, but I decided to open it. It was as empty as the others, except for a large bed at one end of the room, across from the door where I was standing, and a tattered nightstand. The windows in this room weren't boarded. Curtains blew softly through the wind . I walked over and stood beside the bed. I ran my fingers over the soft silk. I thought it was odd that someone like him would have them.

"Where the hell are you?", I asked under my breath.

There was a large pitcher of water, an empty glass and a newspaper on the stand. I touched my hand to the pitcher and realized it was ice cold.

"What do you think you're doing?" I jumped and bumped my leg on the table. "Shit!"

The man was sitting in a chair in the far back of the room, his face covered with a cloth and concealed in the dark. Was he watching me this whole time? I hadn't even noticed.

"I'm sorry, I..." I couldn't find the right words. I wanted him to know that I meant no harm. "Your mask...I have it..." I took a step forward as I took off my bag and unzipped it.

"Stop.", he commanded.

He stood slowly as I reached into my bag. That's when I noticed he was no longer wearing his robe, but a black wife-beater and dark grey cargo pants. His biceps were surprisingly large for someone in his psychical state. They weren't massive, but they weren't twigs either.

I could tell he easily towered over me. I still couldn't see his face, but I could tell there was something that was off. I held out the mask. He didn't move, face still in the shadows.

"Put it down." I looked around and then, placed it on the nightstand. Just then, I noticed there was another entrance to the room. The door way must have lead to another part of the house. It was open. I assumed it lead to one of the rooms I had passed.

"Leave." I was uncomfortable being here, but still slightly hurt by his lack of gratitude.

"Right...of course...OK." I turned and headed downstairs. I sighed. I couldn't leave, not yet. I stopped at the foot of the stairs.

I could hear footsteps above my head. The floorboards creaked with the weight as he walked. I moved out of sight as I saw the masked man go into the bathroom. I heard the cabinet open. I began to pace back and forth.

I waited until he walked back into the room. I took my backpack off and left it at the foot of the stairs. Then, I snuck back upstairs. I decided to confront him. This time I came through one of the entrances from the other room.

He was sitting on the end of his bed...head down.

"I..."

He looked up. That's when I noticed the mask on his face. I halted...the words caught in my throat as I saw him with it for the first time and I found that I couldn't look away. How did it work? What exactly did it do, anyway? Most importantly, Why did he need it?

I quickly shook myself out of my trance. I had to say what I came here for. I cleared my throat.

"You know...I risked a lot coming here and following you. It's really late and I could have been attacked. I mean...I returned your stupid mask... The least you can say is thank you."

For a moment, he seemed stunned by my boldness. He composed himself, but still just looked at me.

I don't even know why I snapped at him. It wasn't like me. Normally, I would be too shy to say anything. Maybe, it was because I was so terribly lonely. I didn't want to leave without talking to him first.

"I'm waiting." I said, trying to sound confident. With this stranger, I could act like I was self-assured, even if I wasn't. If I could have seen underneath his mask, I would have thought him to be smiling.

Finally he said, "I apologize, I thank you for taking the time out of your day to help me." Hearing him speak with the mask for the first time startled me a little, but I nodded. "You're welcome." I didn't know what to do or say next so I entered the room.

I could see him tense up, so I walked over and sat down to the chair he was sitting in earlier. He watched me as I moved and stared at me again. Everything I did seemed to startle him. I kind of liked that.

"What?" I asked.

"You would enter a strange man's home at night, but then complain about how unsafe it is to be out this late."

I smiled, embarrassed. "Right..."

"You are lonely.", he said matter-of-factly. I felt like I should have been offended, but I wasn't. It was kinda true. I was alone all the time. I was an outsider, like he was. I could tell. I wasn't from here and I assumed neither was he.

I stayed in a run down place with two others... Chris, an Australian drifter who had blond dreadlocks down his back and Eleanor, a 32-year-old English woman who was here to study the culture. We were friendly enough, but didn't really interact much outside the house. Chris and Eleanor hung out a lot though. They were both a few years older than I was...much more cultured. They'd seen the world. They discussed things like art and religion and film... and seemed to know about everything and they encouraged me to partake in their discussions...which I politely denied. I had no intention of embarrassing my self.

I preferred being alone anyway.

At least that's what I thought. I liked walking alone...I liked going to the market alone, but tonight I found myself in a stranger's home, unable to leave for some reason.

"So are you," I stated.

He looked away, then back at me. I shifted uncomfortably under his glare.

For a man in his state, he was very confident and didn't hesitate to look me in the eyes. I knew that look in his eyes. He was looking at me like he was trying to figure me out. There was nothing to figure out. I was boring, but him on the other hand was like an exotic puzzle that I so badly wanted to piece together...because once I did... I knew it would surprise me. I saw a light in his eyes...but a darkness as well.

I mean, I knew he lived alone but I didn't think he was crazy or anything. In fact, he seemed very intelligent by the way he spoke. I imagined he'd seen the world as well, but under different circumstances. Not as an enthusiastic tourist who wanted to soak up all the culture, but as something else.

He got up and picked up the pitcher. He poured a glass and handed it to me before walking over to the window.

"You're not strange," I called out.

"Excuse me?" He turned around to face me.

"I said I don't think you're that strange."

That was a complete lie, I thought. He was the strangest person I had met in my entire life and I wanted to know more about him. He looked away, before turning back around.

"I'm sorry about what those men did to you. I wish I could have helped you."

"Why are you are apologizing for something you had no control over?" he asked me, while he continued to stare out the window.

I grinned. "I don't know...I mean, isn't that what you're suppose to say. People say it to be nice, I guess. I am sorry though."

"You shouldn't do something just because other people do it. People can be wrong, you know."

I felt like I was in school and being lectured and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"I know that...I just meant that I feel bad for you...about what they did."

"Don't pity me, my friend. Pity the men who pick on the weak without any justification. You should never harm someone unless you have good reason to."

I nodded before I thought about what he had just said. What exactly did he define as a good reason?

"Have you?" I asked, after a moment.

"Have I what?"

"Have you ever harmed someone?"

He said nothing, but I assumed that was a "yes". He turned and walked away from the window, past me, near the closet at the opposite side of the room. That's when I noticed the scar on his neck. He seem to have suffered an injury, but that wasn't the only one. There was something about the way he walked. His core was weak. It must have been a recent thing because even though he was weak, he walked with such strength and authority as I assumed he had before. He stumbled still, but demanded my attention with every step he took. His whole demeanour had changed now that he was wearing the mask. Also the slight muscles helped.

The cold wind whipped though the air and I shivered. I looked outside at the moon, then at my watch. It really was pretty late.

"I should get going." I stood on my feet quickly. I looked around for my bag, before remembering I had left it by the stairs.

"No." I turned around and looked at him, confused.

"Stay," he told me simply.

"Um..." Was he really asking me to stay? I wasn't so sure it was a good idea.

"You were right." He continued. "It isn't safe for a woman to be out at this time of night. You should stay here."

I looked at my watch again, before nodding. He was right. It was probably safer for me in here, than out there.

"You can sleep in here."

"No..." I protested. "I can't take your bed. I shouldn't have even came out this late anyway. It's my own fault. I could have left the mask at your door or I could have come in the morning..." I laughed. "Even though that would be impossible because I would have had no idea where you lived." I mumbled under my breath.

"I just thought it might be important," I added.

"It is."

He continued. "Or perhaps you could have caught up with me. It would have saved me the agonizing walk home."

"Sorry about that." I blushed. Why the hell didn't I do that?

I was nervous about asking him the next question. I barely managed louder than a whisper. "What exactly does it do?" I looked up at him, but I don't think he heard me. He was deep in thought.

There was a silence.

"I can sleep in the next room.", he added as he turned around to leave.

"Are you sure..." I started. I knew there was no bed in there. "I can..."

He ignored me and headed through the doorway in the back. He shut the door and left me alone in the dark room.

Author's Note: Wahhh! I'm not sure about this one. There are some parts I like and others I'm like...meh!

Let me know what you think please.

PS. I know exactly where I want to take this story and have already started writing it. I just need to figure out all the in-between.