Chapter Thirteen:Scent

Time passed as the months passed along with them. Garfield continued his studies as well as his Messor work. However, it was summertime and Garfield was free from the worries of college. Everyone he knew at college left to their families, but he usually stayed in town. His friend Victor went home an hour away. To Garfield's dismay and his joy, he would often pass his time at the Messor headquarters. He knew it sounded pitiful, but he preferred company with his fellow Messors.

When he would pass the time, Garfield would often relax. However, most of the time, you would find him in the training room either sparring with Cleaver or working out in solitude. Today was like one of those days. Garfield was in the training room lifting weights. Since he began working as a Messor, the man began to work out more often. Over the past months, his body began to strengthen. His muscles were more visible, and to his joy, a six-pack slowly began to emerge. He had more stamina when it came to demon hunting, and ever since the incident with the twin demons, there had been no mistakes ever since.

Raven would often bring him to more and more missions, as he was more experienced. Sometimes, she would require that he go along with her if the others were preoccupied. Things seemed to be going in his favor; however there was one thing that often bothered him over the past few months. Whenever they were on a mission and Garfield was assigned to it, it appeared that she was a little jumpy around him. Once, she was startled when he was just right next to her. Strange as it was, it appeared that she was distant from him at times. It was almost if she was putting up her defensive guard when she was around him.

It's truly strangehe thought to himself has he lifted up the bar weight. He began to lift some more weight. Lost in his pondering, he did not realize that Cleaver walked into the training room.

"Hey Gar." the man greeted interrupting Garfield out of his thoughts.

"What's up dude?" he answered lifting the bar weight.

Cleaver smiled, but it instantly faded into a curious expression. He peered over to Garfield and looked at the bar weight. "I don't know how to say this Gar, but pace yourself. You don't need to lift two-hundred pound weights to prove a point of your masculinity. You're gonna end up hurting yourself."

Garfield slowly dropped the bar weight down and looked at Cleaver who was amazed. "I'm not trying to prove anything Cleaver. I've been doing these for the past week. I think I've gotten stronger since I've been working out more often."

"Well, it's unbelievable that you can lift that much. Just don't get cocky." Cleaver said and walked over the dumbbells.

Garfield lifted some more weights, and finally finished his last pull. He stretched and stood up. Sweat glistened down his bare chest and matted his hair down. He brushed a towel against his hair, and dried the sweat form his chest.

"Hey, Cleaver. I've got a question." Garfield addressed to the man lifted weights. Cleaver turned his attention to the man.

"Sure. Shoot." he simply said lifting one weight in his right hand.

"I didn't think that you noticed, but Raven seems to be distant from me lately. It's almost as if she's kinda afraid of me." He explained.

"Well, that's not really a question, but I don't know why you would think that she would be afraid of you. It may seem that she's distant from you, but that is how she is. She doesn't really get close to anyone. Pardon for my bluntness, but get used to it." Cleaver replied.

"Well I know that, but she wasn't that way when I first started." Garfield said.

"Then you should ask her yourself. You should have gone to her in the first place. Do I look like Miss Raven?" he lightly laughed.

"No, but you sure do lift weights like a girl." Garfield said and Cleaver glared at him. "I'll go ask her myself then."

"Good. Now go before I kick your ass." Cleaver threatened with humor in his tone.

He reached the thirteenth floor and walked towards Raven's office. He knocked at her door and waited for a response. Silence. He tried yet again and there was no response. Garfield cautiously opened the door to her office and peeked in. He peeked into the office, and saw that the lights were off and there was no woman in the office. Garfield sighed in frustration and closed the door to Raven's office. He leaned up against the door and thought for a moment. There were only three places you would find Raven during this time of day; either in her office, the roof, or her bedroom. After much thought, he proceeded to the right of the hallway of the thirteenth floor.

I know I may be signing my death certificate, but it wouldn't hurt to try. Or maybe it will. If she isn't in her apartment, I'll check the roof.He thought to himself as he approached closer and closer to his destination.

He stopped in front of the door to his destination. The front of the door read "Raven" Nervously, he knocked on the door waiting for a response. He knocked a few more times and did not receive a response. Out of curiosity, he held the knob to the door and twisted it. To his surprise, the door was unlocked. Looking left and right of the hallway, he opened the door completely and entered inside. He gently closed the door behind him.

Unlike the office, the lights in the suite were on. Garfield looked around the apartment suite. There was a kitchen, a living room with a television set, a hallway in the back, and a few closed doors. The decor was modern, and yet, it had a Gothic touch to it. It was a little too dark for his tastes, but it was expected. However, her scent filled the entire suite. It smelled of lavender and jasmine and he slowly took an intake of the scent. The man walked cautiously in the suite looking around. It was the same built as the suite he slept in months ago. He dared not to open the doors in the hallways, but there was one in particular door he was drawn to.

Like the front door, he cautiously opened the door. He cracked the door a bit looking around the mysterious room. Slowly, he opened the door completely. He looked around to what appeared to be the master bedroom. Bookshelves lined a portion of the wall and a circular queen sized bed lay in the center back of the bedroom. The room had a strong scent of lavender and jasmine than the rest of the apartment. He closed his eyes and took another large intake of her scent.

Suddenly, Garfield's senses perked and he heard something from another door that was in the bedroom. He leaned closer to the door and soon was in front of it. To his discovery, he heard the sound of trickling water echo on the other side of the door. His hand began to tremble and he slowly lowered his hand to the door handle. Slowly and cautiously, he cracked the door. Steam escaped the room and the water got louder. He looked through the cracked door and to his discovery it was a bathroom and the shower was on. Garfield looked over the closed shower curtain and could sense that someone was in there. Suddenly, he heard an angelic sound coming from the shower. Garfield heard the sound of peaceful humming. He knew that the humming sound did, indeed, sound like Raven.

The man stood at the door for what seemed like forever listening to her hum. Pulling him back from his tranquilly, the water stopped. Garfield snapped from his trance and saw the curtain slowly open. Before he could see anything, he frantically stepped back from the door. He heard the sound of the woman exiting the shower, and he tiptoed out of the apartment suite. When he closed the door, he began to hyperventilate. He leaned up against the opposite wall and caught his breath.

He walked away from the door and proceeded to the elevator with composure. He walked into the ops room to find Cleaver sharpening his weapon.

"So, did you get your answer?" Cleaver asked.

Garfield bit his bottom lip and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "No, I couldn't find her." he simply stated and walked towards the kitchen.

A few hours later, Garfield lay asleep on the couch of the ops room. The feeling of someone gently tapping his or her hands on his face awaked him. His eyes opened slowly trying to get used to the light. He saw Raven tapping his face and calling his name. Under realization, Garfield jumped from the couch and landed on the floor. A roar of laughter was heard from Cleaver who was on the other couch.

Garfield looked up to see a smirk on Raven's face. "Can I help you?" Garfield said sheepishly.

"Yes, we have an assignment tonight and we leave in fifteen minutes." she said raising her eyebrow still wearing a smirk on her face.