Four months later:

Nesta packed the last of her bags, loading it into her car. She turned back though, climbing the stairs for the last time and unlocking the door to her dorm. It was emptied entirely, her roommate having left yesterday. The next round of college students were supposed to be here in a week but Nesta wanted to be out as soon as possible.

Her cat that she and her roommate had hidden from the dean for years meowed as she came from the kitchen, looking for her food bowl. Nesta knelt, scratching behind her ear. The carrier was on the counter but Muffin clearly didn't want to leave yet.

There was a knock on the door, making her look up in confusion. Muffin squacked at it, prancing up and rubbing against the door. Nesta's hand hesitated on the handle before she opened it, picking up Muffin to keep her from escaping.

Cassian stood there, as wide eyed as she was.

"What are you doing here?" Nesta blurted. Muffin meowed her response. She was a very vocal cat.

"I-Feyre gave me your address. She said you were probably already gone."

"You live in Seattle." That was at least a days drive away.

"I wanted to see you." He pulled a bouquet of peonies from behind his back, rubbing his neck. "I, uh, brought these."

"I don't have anywhere to put them."

"Oh." He looked nervous, which was new for Nesta to see on him, though she hadn't known him for long. "Can I come in?"

She nodded, opening the door wider. Muffin squirmed in her arms until she set her down to greet Cassian. She meowed at him, rubbing against his boots.

"Um, congrats on your degree." He set the flowers on the counter, kneeling to let Muffin rub against his hand instead. "Do you have a place yet?"

"Why are you here, Cassian?"

He straightened, tapping his fingers against his thigh. Sighing, he said, "I knew you'd be leaving and I wasn't sure I'd be able to find you once you were gone."

"You can't just show up at someone's door after months of no contact."

He ran his hands over his face. "I know and I hate myself and you should probably just kick me out."

Nesta watched him with narrowed eyes. Muffin sat delightedly on his boots, purring loudly. Nesta stared at the cat. Usually, she hated the men Nesta brought home, but she seemed rather fond of Cassian.

Maybe it was stupid, but Nesta decided to trust Muffin.

"Thank you for the flowers," she said.

He smiled, but it wasn't the grin she was used to. "So where are you going after this?"

"I have a friend to stay with in Arizona until I get my own place. I'm hoping to get a job down there."

"You don't have a job set up yet?"

She had taken three jobs at one point to work of her student debt, but even that hadn't covered it. Though she knew that wasn't what he was asking about. "I've had offers all around the U.S. I'm still not sure what I where I want to go yet."

"What about Seattle?" he said hopefully, leaning against the counter. He wasn't looking at her, but instead focused on the pink and white peonies.

Nesta's heart contracted but she wouldn't let it show. "Cassian."

"I know it's far and we haven't known each other for a while, but there's a guest bedroom and I won't make you pay rent or anything. It's all there if you want it."

And she did, damn her heart. She wanted to take this leap into the unknown, to see what life was like with him, waiting for her in Seattle.

"I couldn't do that to you."

"I'm offering, Nesta. I want… I want you. I've wanted you since that first day in the street. But I'll leave if you want me to."

And Nesta knew he would. He would leave and never turn back and fall in love with some other damsel and completely never see her again. She wasn't sure she could live with that.

So she took a leap. "Okay. I'll go."

He looked up in surprise, gaping at her. "Really?"

"But if I want to leave, you have to pay for my plane ticket to where I want to go."

"Of course." He nodded, stepping towards her. "I assume you don't need help packing, though."

Nesta looked one last time at her empty apartment. "No. Let's go." He turned to leave and she couldn't help herself. "Oh, and Cassian?"

He turned back. "Yes?"

She leaned up on her toes and kissed his lips.

When she pulled back he was grinning and it looked like the start of something beautiful.

The End.