Note from the Writer: I'm weirdly overjoyed to say that I check the site daily and with so many hits-I'm urged to post more which means...I'm not typing them fast enough. So I'll be typing a ton tonight to keep you guys entertained. And action fans-don't fret. The action is coming very soon!
Finally, a question to the readers-Is Griffin back to how he should be? I'm just trying to keep you guys happy.

Chapter 11: Learning [P]

Penny listened intensely as Griffin began his story. "They're not just after us. They're after all of us. Jumpers. Other than 'abominations', that's all we are to them. And they. They are Paladins. Been after jumpers for years. Hell, centuries. And they're out to kill us. Make sure us 'abominations'," his strain on the word was bothersome to Penny. "...Don't live past tomorrow." His tone was harsh. His small speech made Penny shiver.

"Why though? Just because we can teleport?"

Griffin nodded. "It's exactly why. It let's us go and do whatever the fuck we want! They don't want anyone to have the power we do."

Penny was silent. Mom was right....There are people out there who want to hurt me. She then asked, "We can fight back though, right?"

He made an unsure facial expression. "If you know how and if you're not dead already, of course." He grimaced. "And they'll do whatever it takes. Did I mention that?"

"Whatever it takes?..." She was confused and hoped he didn't mean what she thought he meant.

The waiter returned just the with two cups. He set them down and asked, "Anything else?"

Griffin looked at him. "If you would've brought menus I would've said yeah. So no," he grumpily said.

"No thanks." Penny no longer felt the need for food. The conversation itself was making her nauseated. She took a sip of her tea, as the waiter walked away.

"Meaning," Griffin began again, "that they'll stop at nothing to get us and kill whoever gets in their way." He took a long drink of his coffee.

Penny's mind raced. Her family: Were they still okay? Her old friends: Did they even remember her? Everyone else she was close to: I hope they forgot all about me. She sighed. "So how do you know all this?" She saw his eyes that were looking at her dart towards the window nearest to him.

"I've had experience with them." She thought she saw him flinch at the word 'experience'.

"Guess that's a bad thing?" she asked.

But Penny saw the agony in his eyes and the rage on his face when he turned to her for a second to say, "You have no idea."

She was silent again. She waited for him to speak or for him to seem less angry again. The latter came first. Something was bugging Penny.

"...So...This is weird but are we...uh...together?" She emphisized the word 'together' so he understood. Griffin's face turned to an avid emotion of shock, then calmness.

"I don't do...relationships, Penelope. My first and last one...well, it turned on me. Can't risk that anymore."

"But we're alike. Was your last girlfriend a jumper?" She almost sounded sarcastic.

"No, she wasn't." He seemed angrier talking about this. "But there's still too many bloody fucking risks!"

Penny seemed to join him in anger. "Well if you taught me to defend myself, worry and death wouldn't be a damn risk, would they?" she said.

"Death's always a fucking risk" he started to yell.

"..So...you're saying you'd teach me?"

"I didn't say that," he growled.

"Underlying hint- yeah you did," Penny whispered. Griffin didn't say anything in retort. She watched him take another swig of his coffee, get up, and walk out of the resturant in a huff.

Hmph. Why's he so...cute when he's angry? Penny finished the tea before she got up and went to the bathroom, where she jumped.