Author's Note:

Dear readers I apologize, but lately it's been hard for me to write, time is scarce and inspiration seems to have abandoned me for a while. It might take me a month or so to get back to the old rhythm.

Anyway thanks for reading, I hope you like the chapter.

After leaving Boris in the apartment, Will and Emily searched for a place where they could drink and forget about the incident. After a short while they found a small bar on a quiet street, with the lights on and music playing inside. They got inside, neither of them had been there before. It was a small space, the yellow light spread through the timber walls, illuminating the people chattering happily in the few tables distributed through the place.

They sat at a table in the corner. A man of some age approached them immediately and waited, with a scowl, for them to say what they wanted to have. They asked for a jar of wine, for starters, and a toast to share, since neither had eaten but were not exactly hungry.

When the man left with the order, a long, embarrassing silence fell on the table. None of them knew what to say.

"I have seen your grandmother…" commented Will not knowing what else to say.

"I know. She told me."

Long silence. Emily moved her hands nervously and Will looked around desperately looking for subject.

"How could you keep yourself so calm during the whole situation?" Emily finally asked, as if she could no longer hold the question in her throat.

Will did not know what to answer. He could tell her that he worked for the FBI and that he had seen much worse, but that was the last thing he wanted Emily to know.

"I mean, you never seemed to get scared, or startled. Even when you threw yourself at the burglar, it was as if you knew exactly what you were doing. As if it wasn't the first time." She continued since he would not speak.

"I had a job with the police, before coming here." Will said simply, Emily seemed surprised and he could see her eyes filling with questions.

Fortunately the man appeared with the wine and the toasts.

"And where do you work?" Will asked hoping to steer the conversation.

"I work at the local library. I know, how predictable. But the truth is, that's the only place I really feel good, surrounded by book. Must be influences of grandma. Also it's great because it's a place that gives no room for talk: people arrive, ask what they need and go on with their lives, without further complications." She spoke as she ate her half of the toast, appetite seemed to strike her suddenly.

Will poured the dark wine on the glasses, he realized Emily's spirit was not as heavy as it was before, and he felt happy to be there with her.

"And you, what do you do now?" she asked abruptly. It seemed that she had understood that he did not want to talk about the past.

"I teach introductory psychology at the local school."

"It's the last thing I would have imagined." She admitted with a smile.

"What does it look like I do?"

"I'd dare to say anything that didn't involve dealing with people."

"Am I that unfriendly?"

"No, but it's easy to notice you don't feel comfortable around people. You never look in the eye, did you know? It makes people uncomfortable. You always seem suspicious and that sometimes can be misunderstood as arrogance."

Will was truly amazed with her words. He did not imagined that as how she saw him, it could explain many attitudes she has towards him.

"It's not on purpose."

"I know, now." She smiled and took a big gulp of wine.

The night advanced calmly, they drank a lot and talked a lot, about random facts of life and the world. They did not mention the assault again. As Emily kept drinking she became more and more at ease and talkative and Will allowed himself to be taken by the enthusiasm that made him forget that something horrible had just happened.

The clock marked 3 AM when the bar owner struck a small bell that was behind the counter, announcing the closing time. All the occupants of the tables started to automatically arise as if it was already a ritual. Will looked at Emily, who was visibly drunk and noted that she was not paying attention to anything that was happening.

"Emily, we need to leave." He said calmly.

She looked at him as seriously as the alcohol allowed. She had been silent for some minutes playing with a piece of napkin that was on the table. Without saying a word she started to get up but her legs failed her, and she fell on the chair heavily. Will stood up to help her.

"I'm sorry, this is so embarrassing. I didn't want to end up like this" She said, curling her tongue while talking, making it hard to understand what she was saying. "No, actually this was exactly how I wanted to end up. I don't understand this world, I can't understand people, I get queasy just to think."

"Please don't be queasy in here." Will asked, holding her under the arms and lifting her without trouble. The girl could not walk or even keep her eyes open, while Will took her outside the girl plugged her head on his shoulder and sobbed softly.

When they reached the street Will sat her on a step, holding her shoulders and waited a bit too see if the fresh night air helped her clear her mind.

"I still can't believe what I saw. The gun went off, with that horrible sound and the man's head just exploded. He died there, just like that, with his eyes filled with anger. What will be of his soul?" Emily spoke and cried softly.

Will did not know what to tell her, but he was not surprised those thoughts returned to her spirit after so much wine and whiskey. In a way it was good for her to talk it out even being too drunk to be able to remember it in the morning.

"And the scariest thing is that I don't know if I wouldn't do the same. If he approached me with those eyes and if I had a gun in my hand I might have fired as well. What a terrible thing." She continued, hiding her face between her hands crying more violently.

Will sat next to her while she cried. She wept for several minutes without stopping, until she seemed to lose all her strengths.

"I'm so tired." she said in a small voice.

"Where is your house?"

The girl did not answer. She fell on his shoulder as she had fallen asleep.

"Emily?" Will called shaking her softly, but she did not move.

What would he do? He had to take her with him. He had no idea where her house was and had no way to know. He got up and carried her again. The girl seemed to sleep but her legs moved slowly in an instinctive attempt to walk.

After long minutes they finally got to the door of Will's apartment. Boris seemed specially happy to see them both but laid quietly on the floor at the behest of his owner.

Will laid Emily on his bed gently, he then took off her shoes and covered her with the blankets. Still asleep Emily grabbed his arm tightly and pulled him towards her as she snuggled in bed. He stood motionless, his heart pounding. The girl muttered some indistinct words and pulled Will's arm tighter against her chest as if she wanted to curl up in it. Immobile and without knowing what to do Will looked at her, amazed by her beauty. Without further thinking he laid next to her, clothes and shoes on as he was. Upon felling him Emily smiled slightly and pulled his arm, which she had not let go of, even more.

Like that, in a strange embrace, Will felt sleep invade him. Not countering it he closed his eyes and fell in a deep sleep while her perfume invaded his thoughts.