Another of those flash-forward chapters. Also, this is the second chapter posted today :)

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Chapter Twenty-Eight: Interlude, Part II

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"Do you want me to bring you anything next time I come?"

Lera smiled up at Nichyn, her arm still hooked in his. "Just yourself. Unless you come with my parents to pick me up before your next scheduled visit. Then make sure someone brings my heels—I'm sick of being so short."

He smirked, but hid it in her hair. "Poor little Lera. You haven't grown in a while, have you?"

"Unlike you and Arelyk," she sulked.

"I like you the way you are."

She sighed exaggeratedly. "Well, of course you do. You have a chin rest for whenever your neck gets tired."

"It is a plus."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "That phrase is so…so math geek. Are they turning you in a math geek at public school?"

He made a face. "I prefer my politics class."

Lera rolled her eyes as if to say, Of course, but then sobered. "You aren't still getting flack from them, are you? Because of me?"

Nichyn's face hardened. "Only if they want a black eye."

She groaned. "Just don't set anyone else up to get expelled, okay? You were lucky the first time, when you didn't get caught."

"For you, anything."

"I can only guess how you'll interpret that answer when it suits you." Despite her words, the elbow she sent his way was playful.

Ahead of them, their path through the gardens ended, opening up to the ward. One of the nurses was leading patients back to the hospital.

Glancing at his chrono, Nichyn sighed. "I should probably get going."

"Yeah. 'Bout that time."

Just before they crossed into the open area, Lera stopped. "Nichyn, there—" She looked at him, then away from his eyes, "th-there is something you could do. Please?"

He blinked down at her. "What is it?" Then he noticed the wariness in her eyes, and his arm tightened around her shoulders. "Lera?"

"A while ago, you said Sanar's sister contacted you."

Nichyn tensed. "She did."

"I—I just…wondered…how she is. I—I mean…I know that she—she had a…hard time with…with everything."

He looked away from her, but she caught the hardness in his expression. "Why?" His voice, usually husky-soft with her, sounded too harsh.

"Nichyn." She turned so she could face him directly. He had tightened, drawn away from her, and it made her regret the question. She disliked it even more when he looked at her again. His grey eyes were wary and careful now, overprotective in a scared way when before they had been relaxed.

Lera forced herself to laugh. It was uncomfortable, though, and heavy realizing the source of Nichyn's concern. "I just—it's me asking you, Nichyn. It's not…h-he left as soon as he realized—"

"Then why do you want to know?" Nichyn looked almost pained. "It's all over now, isn't it?"

"Because I cared," she insisted. "For months I cared about what was going on, and I can't just—just turn that off. I care about Sanar, and I know how horrible Jaina must feel—"

At last, he relented and hugged her. "She is the same as always."

Lera deflated. She realized she was clinging to Nichyn, but she didn't care. Blinking back the tears, she tried to summon up a smile; Nichyn could use some reassurance that she wouldn't break. "It isn't really fair that that's still disappointing, is it?"

He sighed and brushed her temple with his lips. "Give it time. That's all we can do."

In the end, maybe that was all she had ever done: given time.