THEN
Through the ever constant roar of traffic, and the perhaps louder elation of a campus being set free, boots slapped a panicked tune on the sidewalks. Passersby didn't pay much attention to the young woman as she navigated out of the campus proper and into the slushy after mess of the last snow storm. She didn't dare look behind her, nor did she pay much attention to ahead. Her mind was occupied on the curious accidents happening in her wake.
Since it was New York, few noticed that a trash bin fell over with no cause. They merely gave the obstruction a wide berth and neared the curb; where snow that had collected a top parked cars blew up in an unexpected breeze. Confusion didn't set in amongst the throng until the crosswalk light that had been green, abruptly switched to red.
With a smirk the owner of the boots continued dashing ahead and to the next bus stop.
Once in Hells Kitchen and up the stairs of their walkup, Anna Jane let out a whooshing breath as she was knocked lightly into the corridor wall, held there by an unseen force. The breath became a curse as she glared at their open apartment door.
Leaning against the jam, Caroline rubbed her hands together. "Finally. Pin'd ya."
"Goddamn it." Anna may have huffed but with a grin once Caroline relented. She rolled her shoulders and dropped her backpack with a thud by the door. "How in the hell did you beat me here?"
"You rigged the light right by the subway fool. I just went down there. Now the question is, how long have you been able to do said light trick?"
Anna's grin became a tad sheepish as they moved into the cramped apartment.
The four bedroom didn't boast space but it did boast safety, and they all worked hard to make it their first grasp on a home of their own. The entry was the corner of the L that formed from the two tight hallways. The one straight ahead held a closet, bathroom, then two bedrooms for Cole and Anna's before ending with the fire escape. The hallway to the right of the front door held the living room, kitchen, and two bedrooms that Caroline and Ethan took. Caroline insisted that while she was ready for essentially living with Ethan, she still kept a room of her own so she could paint or sculpt, and have her own space. Though often she ended up in Ethan's room or he in hers.
The third floor apartment was secured by the Kelly's to give them financial breathing room, all four insisted on paying what they could. For Anna and Cole it came from their housing student loans, for Ethan and Caroline it meant a lot of working. However independent they tried for, the edict from Cece, John, and Phillip came down after the group stayed in the city for Thanksgiving: they would be spending their winter break in Forks. They might have fought it, if Anna and Cole's part time jobs hadn't been tied to the campus which would be closed for a month and if Ethan and Caroline hadn't been itching to switch their work up. They could pick up a few shifts at The Grand cleaning or helping in the kitchens. As much as they had come alive in the last four months, the small town in them was grateful for the push to visit.
It also helped ease the pain of the reason they had ultimately opted for a Friendsgiving in the city instead of going back. The Southgates, eager for a chance to block out all the changes in their daughters and thereby their lives, moved to a base in Texas soon after Caroline moved out and Laura could get an accepted transfer. Though they insisted they wanted her to spend Thanksgiving with them, or better yet, move with them, Caroline felt that once tight unit breaking. She struggled with how they looked at her, both together, or if they were fighting she'd notice that they froze her out. If she was honest with herself she'd say her family had always had problems. That her parents marriage had issues with every deployment. That toxic dependency was disguised as closeness. But she wasn't quite able to be honest with herself for years to come.
The other three didn't hesitate to close ranks and cheer Caroline up with their excitement over staying in the apartment they had worked so hard on. Weekends had been spent blasting music, binging tv shows, while they made the place theirs. Cole framed pictures of their last two years together, as well as ones from the earlier years. They threw caution to the wind and let Caroline paint trees in the claustrophobic hallways so they'd at least feel like they had the forest with them. Ethan built shelves for every ones bedrooms that were each just a touch crooked. Anna hunted up flea markets until the spaces filled, as they insisted on taking as minimal hand me downs as they could.
Cole and Anna spent their days in class or at shifts on campus. Anna working in the performing art building, while Cole split between half the week at the paper and half in the school bookstore. Their nights were for catching up on homework while Caroline waitressed and Ethan bounced at a bar not far from their apartment. They had outings on their own, sure. But for the most part they looked back on those four years as the most time they'd been able to spend together.
For that first winter break home, they planned no different. Ethan and Cole would be at Holm House, while Caroline and Anna stayed at The Grand, though of course they'd end up melding. The boys had caught a flight the night before, while Caroline insisted on staying behind to wait for Anna to get out of her last final that morning. And use the opportunity to practice.
None of them had neglected their ability during the four months. They kept up with general self defense and fighting practices, while adding their own twist in the privacy of their home. Since it seemed they weren't followed to the city, they thankfully hadn't had an opportunity to give it a real test though. They suspected that could change when they went back to Forks, or any day really, so they kept trained. Resulting in sometimes one of them sneaking up on the other.
Anna dashed through the halls and rooms making sure nothing had gone unpacked as she explained to Caroline.
"That was the first time I knew it would work, but I've been trying to manipulate more I guess. It can't all be moving things and throwing them."
"No, I guess not. I haven't really tried to do extra, just make sure what I can do is working the way it should." Caroline's eyes narrowed. "You know. You're really have practiced the least of us….yet….."
"Don't start with that." Satisfied with the boys rooms as well as their own, Anna checked her watch. "If I have to hear it from Jeff, I'll not hear it from any of you."
"You want to start having subjects off the table?" Caroline rolled her suitcase over. "Doesn't sound very healthy."
"Christ Jesus."
They bickered as they navigated their luggage to the cab they indulged on to get to the airport. By the time they'd boarded the plane, their heads were bent close together watching a movie on Anna's ipod.
Though they were two well traveled girls, it was something special to be traveling together, and even without the boys. And to have that time later at The Grand.
At the airport in Port Angeles, Phillip waited, waving his arms like a madman. Though of course his disheveled curls and obvious costume made him easy to spot.
"Papa!" Anna waved her arms just as wildly before tossing her suitcase aside to throw them around him. "I thought you were sending Brance!"
"Seemed far too aristocratic for our style, even if it would have been with the gardener truck." He gave a little bow as he took both girls' cases. "Miz Southgate."
"Mr. Simone. Love your get up. Hot date?"
"For I am the Pirate King."
"They're doing Pirates of Penzance again?!" Anna clapped her hands together.
"In the spring."
Anna and Caroline crammed into the front of the truck. "Papa did Pirates before my mother was born." She explained. "Its his most well known next to Puck."
"This time given my age I'll be going for the Major General, but I had to indulge in a song at auditions this evening."
"You'll be back for dinner? Mary emailed that Enid is serving the fatted calf at seven sharp."
"I'll make a fashionable entrance."
Phillip moved on to talk about the Grand, little updates and the mention of a new repair man. Then about the town news, of which was predictable gossip. The Cullens had abruptly left the November before, though Cole had gotten a visit from Carlisle as to why. Bella and Edward's child had been discovered by the Volturi, another faction of the Preservers. They'd had little other choice but to go on the run. Carlisle had insisted if Cole or the others needed anything they could contact him, but he was firm on not wanting their assistance in his own families troubles. His concern was the Volturi was barely involved in the Preservers, and if they found out about the others, there would be two groups after them. They didn't fight that logic at all, though it was odd to hear how the town speculated on The Cullens, and further more their family friends that were still in Forks and La Push, even a year later. As Phillip rolled his eyes over the dribble he'd been hearing of it, Caroline and Anna couldn't help but wonder if one day that town dribble would be about them.
If they were good at anything though, it was putting what they couldn't control out of their minds. Especially when faced with something invariably more bright when they got out of the truck.
The Olympic Grand stood ever waiting. For guests, for patrons of the theater, for the people who kept it all running. Anna felt she fell in every category as she leaned against the cab of the truck and looked at the building. Caroline, starting to get their bags, sighed as she saw Anna staring.
"Hey." She bumped hips. "You good?"
Anna tapped her head to Caroline's shoulder, then nodded. "It's the closest I have to… you know."
"I know. But don't let Cecelia Friggen Kelly hear you say it."
They laughed and then shook their head as Phillip started singing Pirate King and barreling down to the theater parking. They brought their bags to the lobby, greeting Mary with enthusiastic hugs.
At seventy one, Mary Fielding still ran The Grand with energy and style. She'd recruited some minions (as Phillip was always calling them) from time to time, but she refused to retire. There had been a time where she thought she may pass the running of the hotel to the girl she'd watch grow up. Yet as she watched, she saw it wasn't for Anna Jane. She was meant to find her own way.
"Goodness. You do look urbane and mature." Mary ran a hand down Anna's hair. "Where was that man going?"
"He's auditioning. Claims he may be late for the homecoming dinner."
"You'd better run into the kitchen to tell Enid. Brance can get your bags up to the apartment."
Anna kissed her cheek, and grabbing Caroline's hand, raced towards the kitchen wing. Mary watched after them with a sly smile.
In the kitchen, Enid, still plump and with hair more white than grey these days; wagged a spoon at the tall young man leaning over the appetizers on the counter. He was dressed in black jeans and sweater, many knicks on his boots.
"You'll not be sneaking my food with dirty fingers."
"They're not dirty, the paint on them is dried." As he flipped his hands over he caught the movement of the two joining the room and froze. His easy smile for Enid turned to delight.
Anna Jane stopped dead so Caroline let out a hmph at her back. "Sylas!" Anna half gasped and then automatically reined herself in. Remembering they were practically strangers. "Are you…ha…staying here?" Déjà vu.
"That would be something wouldn't it?" Sylas's dark eyes drank Anna in, as though she had been gone years rather than months.
"He's our new repairman Missy. He turned up late in the summer."
"Like an old penny." Sylas gave a wink to Enid. "She's still been sneaking me cookies first thing in the morning like she used to."
Anna was struck at the easy way he spoke. Not just to them, but of being there, and being here back then. She was silent a beat, assessing the changes as the two of them looked at one another. Caroline cleared her throat.
"Well that's fantastic. We filled in here and there summers at the theater, this is a great place to work."
"And cause mischief." Enid huffed but pat Caroline's cheek as she walked to the stoves.
"Only our share. So how have you been since school?"
"Much better than while I was in. I'd started trade classes back in junior year, so I've been jumping between a few places in town."
"How is your dad doing?"
Sylas smiled at Anna. "Actually pretty well. He had a rough winter last year, but seems to be bouncing back so I moved into one of the apartments over the hardware store. Anyway, he was pleased to hear you were going to NYU."
"Was he? Well that makes another tally. Papa sure wasn't pleased I broke the good old family tradition of untraditional."
"You were always going to find your way back east."
Before Anna could think what to say, Sy's cellphone chimed. "I'm needed at the theater." He said as he checked the readout.
"You'll look at the icebox before you go, it keeps on whirring."
"We'll leave you to it. Enid, Papa is going to be late. Don't shoot the messenger."
"Best see to it you two aren't late. Mrs. Kelly will be bringing the other mischief makers over so I don't have to worry on them."
Caroline pffed and ducked her chin at Enid's glare. "Nice seeing you Sylas." She said and dashed out.
Anna raised a hand and nearly hit the doorjam backing out of the room. She facepalmed to Caroline as she started out towards the apartment stairway where her friend was practically bouncing down the hall.
"Anj."
Once again Anna stopped dead, this time closing her eyes as she let out a breath that she'd been arguably holding for three years. She turned back as Sylas walked over. He didn't say anything, though she heard all she needed from his own uneven breathing. His hand found hers and their fingers automatically entwined. Anna looked down at their hands, catching how the move made Sylas's grin flash. His chin dipping to bring her glance back to his.
"Would you have dinner with me tomorrow night?"
A radiant smile burst on her face before Anna could even think how to reign in it. "Pick me up here?"
"Yes please."
"Ok then. I should." She jerked her head the direction she could hear Caroline's muffled and repeated "ohmygodohmygodohmygod."
"Right. Six?"
"That'll work."
Sylas nodded again and Anna felt every part of her buzz as his thumb traced from the side of her hand to her wrist before letting it go. Before she could lose the last grip on her cool exterior Anna dashed down the hall, throwing one last look over her shoulder, pleased to see Sylas still watching after her.
Once she reached Caroline, she seized her arm and pulled her near squealing friend up the stairs.
Listening to Anna hush Caroline as their footsteps faded, Sylas's head tipped back as he turned down the hall to the kitchen. Enid was muttering under her breath so he went to the fridge to access the issue.
"About damn time boy."
Knowing she didn't mean what he was fixing, Sylas opened the fridge. "Is this even acting up?"
"Think I can't fix my own machinery?" She huffed.
He closed the door and narrowed his eyes. "I was going to do it on my own you know. Once I knew she was going to be visiting."
Though still gruff, she pet his cheek as she opened the fridge herself. "Didn't see a reason why it shouldn't be tonight." She brought out a Pyrex dish. "You drop this off at your fathers once you're done at the theater."
"You're a softie Enid."
On the other side of the building, letting themselves into the Simone apartment, Caroline and Anna spoke over one another.
"I freaking knew it."
"He'll have some things to answer for."
"Ethan always says he looks at you then tells me to pipe down so you don't feel weird about it."
"I mean he's working here, he not only remembers but he clearly doesn't have ill feelings, so why all the silence at school?"
"Course you coulda asked him out yourself when you heard he and Tori broke up. Or better yet, the week he moved here."
Anna huffed at that and whirled into her room where their suitcases were waiting. "No I couldn't have. He needed to figure things out and I needed…"
"Him." Caroline tipped her chin down to Anna's shoulder. "You haven't stood still, but it's always him."
Tilting her head to the side of Caroline's Anna sighed but didn't argue. She'd been waiting. However she did so, of course that was true. And she needed answers from him before she could truly feel that wait was over.
"You better not hog the bed."
So saying, Caroline plopped on it and opened Anna's suitcase herself. "Did you bring back date clothes then?"
"Please." She slowly smiled. "If I'm wearing it, I make them date clothes."
The boys and Kelly's joined them for their welcome home dinner. They enjoyed Enid's food, Brance's intensity as he listened to their answers on Mary's inquires of class and work and the city. Phillip burst in twenty minutes late with joyful shouts of being cast as the Major General, beelining to Ethan to try and round him up for tech work at the theater. All the while Cece held Anna close and John took turns with Caroline to tease Cole on his school paper hijinks. Those were the the quiet yet chaotic happy moments, of course made a bit louder once Caroline announced that afternoons development.
Anna kept aloof about it. Not exactly downplaying, but certainly reserved while everyone else erupted in excitement. She sought out Cole's glance, narrowing in on the tense set of his jaw. She raised a brow, and he shrugged, a message in itself. And that was fine. She'd be reserved in his place. Still for the most part she was able to push the upcoming date aside and be in the moment.
Just as any teenagers home for the holidays would, they enjoyed that night back in the familiar. They'd had that first taste of adulthood. The sort that most their age faced rather than the things they had in their lives that were abnormal. And they were eager for more, but it felt right to be gathered for the holidays where they started.
After a day of winter hiking with her guy, Caroline stood in front of Anna's bed that was covered in clothes, and said guy was somewhere beneath. She picked up a dress, only to toss it back atop Ethan.
"Did Cece say if we were going out or staying in?"
"Ro, even if we were going out, nothing in town would require a dress."
Caroline rolled her eyes and looked to Anna who was finishing up her makeup. She came over and looking at the pile snatched up heather grey leggings and the rolled up cobalt tunic sweater Ethan had his head pillowed on. Anna tossed both at Caroline with a shoulder shimmy.
"Add your purple uggs for fun."
"Bless." Caroline then looked over Anna's outfit. "You look great, but mild for what I was expecting."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ethan shoved himself up. "It's their first date."
Ignoring him, Anna turned to the mirror and studied her warm brown pants and moss green sweater. The green played up her eyes and the uniqueness of their shade. And the palette was no mistake to remind her of the forests. The material hinted at her curves well, while giving her a casual air.
"I want to be comfortable. I'll save the plunging necklines and short hems for when I know what he's about." Still, she kept away from the lipstick as she finished with a smudge of eyeliner, and grabbed her cognac leather jacket rather than the winter coat. She turned and presented the look to Caroline, who nodded. Then to Ethan who couldn't quite hide the grin.
"What?"
Ethan merely shrugged and Anna scrunched her nose. She didn't want to hear a "finally" anymore than she wanted to hear a protective spiel. And she knew Ethan could give a combo of the two.
"Well I'm off." She kissed Caroline's cheek. "Grab a pair of my pjs and bring to Holm House wouldja cher?"
"Yes dear."
Ethan jumped up and caught her chin in his hand before she could pass. "You get your answers, and then you have fun. So much fun. Ok?"
"Deal." Anna grinned. "Keep the window open incase I get in late."
Caroline snorted as Anna Jane dashed out. "She really thinks Cecelia won't wait up in the foyer?"
"She's not gonna let herself expect a porch light life that's for sure."
Intent on waiting for Sylas at the front entrance, Anna navigated the wings that led from the apartments to the hotel. She jumped as she walked straight into Cole at a turn. He kept his hands on her arms as they steadied.
"Came to collect the loons."
"You'll want to give it a knock, I have no doubt they're necking on the couch by now."
"That'd be why I said I'd get them and not with the Kelly's who both insisted on driving over with me. I suspect not just for a pick up."
Anna huffed out a breath. She expected as much from Phillip, which was why she'd told him she was going out at seven rather than six. But the Kelly's, well, even if she'd thought of their meddling, they still wouldn't be easy to outfox.
"We've all dated, they've never been like…." She trailed off at Cole's expression. "I know I know. And I know you're not thrilled."
Cole pulled Anna in, his cheek resting on her hair. "I am what you are. If he makes you happy I'm going to be happy. But right now you're being pulled in different directions and that's going to make you reserved. So I'm going to be that too."
"That's so much better than you hating him flat or worrying about what its going to change."
"Things will always change, we don't."
The warmth of being so understood, by all three of them in their ways, but of course by her boys; chased away the worries. Or all but one. And so thinking, she grumbled as she looked at the stairs. Cole sighed and went over to one of the windows, pushing it up wide.
"We'll tell them you they missed you."
"That right there is why I saved you from certain bully death on the playground m'boy." Without hesitating Anna bent through the open sill. "I'll see you at Holm House."
The metal fire escape stairs had long since been replaced with the more appealing to the eye wood, so her steps were silent as she excitedly snuck down. And still, she felt eyes on her as she rounded the last flight. Her startled grin faltered as she looked up to find it was Sylas.
After so many years of avoiding glances in classrooms and hallways, it took Anna aback how intensely he looking into her eyes. The awareness in them spread a flush of heat through her system. And suddenly she felt why. The last time they had been together, truly with one another, it had ended with a dash up those stairs.
Anna tried for a carefree shrug. Anything to bring those dark eyes back from fighting images from the past and now. Sylas nodded once before starting toward Anna, hands cupping her face and kissing her. Hers reached the sides of his neck, as though to keep him there.
There had been so many times Anna Jane had daydreamed exactly this in classrooms since he moved back. And if she was honest, she had in the years he was gone as well. Sylas Bruan had been this fairytale idea. Her very first friend who would come back for her, and other silly fantasies a young girl has. Now a young woman, Anna realized not a single one of those dreams had come close to this. This was real.
When they broke apart Sylas kept his hands on her cheeks, though pushing her hair to better see her face. Reading her expression, he smiled sheepishly.
"Couldn't save that for the end of the date."
Anna smiled back and placed her hands over his. "Quite right, but I still expect to be fed."
Sylas moved aside, but took Anna's hand and walked with her to the truck. He opened her door, shaking his head as she hummed at the move. When he joined her in the car he jerked his head at the fire escape stairs.
"There a reason you didn't wait for me at the front door?"
"There a reason you parked out here instead of out front?"
"Touche." Sylas grinned and pulled into the street.
"So where are we going? I suppose the diner isn't first date vibes."
"Worked when we were nine."
Anna's laugh filled the truck. "This is all so surreal." She shifted towards him. "I want to enjoy tonight Sylas."
"I want you to enjoy tonight too Anna Jane."
"So let's get this out of the way then so we can enjoy. Why did you do it? You didn't write back all those years, that's fine. But when you moved back I can't understand why you acted like you didn't know me."
"Anj."
"For the first year I convinced myself you just didn't remember. That was probably more out of wanting to keep my own memories and not think that kid I knew, my first friend, could forget me. Sort of a self defense thing. But after the dance…I couldn't do that anymore, I knew." She glanced at him, the tightness of his jaw and then away. "I didn't need to ask you about it then though, I told myself whatever the reason was didn't matter because we weren't in each others lives. Not as friends or, well anything else. Now you want to be?"
"More like now I'm ready to learn how to be."
"You weren't before?"
Sylas pulled over to the shoulder of the road and parked. For a moment he was still save for is fingers tapped on the steering wheel. Then he nodded as though steeling himself. He too shifted his back to the window to face Anna Jane.
"I have nothing but happy memories of this place you know. We'd be off in some city or another and I'd just want the quiet of Forks. The simplicity. And I'd want my friend." Sylas's lips quirked but didn't quite make a smile. "But it was easier to have the happy memories than to try and bring them into my actual life. I never thought we would come back here. Then when Mom died, and Dad got so bad that the only thing that made sense was to go where he could be comfortable; I couldn't call up any of those memories. Wherever we were didn't matter our house was a tomb. It didn't feel like I was coming back, because I didn't feel like that kid. I didn't even know who I was. I existed at school but at home it was all about Dad, even though there were weeks when he didn't sign a thing. The only feeling in that house was that Mom was missing. With how low everything was I thought if I reached out to you it would be the wrong type of needing. That it was going to wreck everything we had before or a change at something else."
"Did you talk to your Dad?" Anna shrugged at his snort. "So that never improved then."
"There have been moments. A lot more of them recently, so I guess that's why I've felt more comfortable with working and putting some time into figuring out what I want to do. Anyway. That day at school. When I saw you it was like nothing changed. You were just as bright as I remembered. And I felt anything but. The idea that you'd look at me differently. Or that whatever was wrong with me would suck you into it…I couldn't do it. It was easier to step back and blend in. To not need anyone like they did."
"Why do you think something is wrong with you?" Anger deepened Anna's voice.
"I don't think it of me anymore, I just know the fact is that I wasn't enough. Being their son wasn't enough to them. No." He waved away her curse. "I understand it now, it doesn't have to do with me. Dad's depression and his illness didn't leave enough room. Mom was always focused on him. And it wasn't healthy. They shouldn't have been parents and the result was I grew up always feeling that. You knew that when we were kids."
"I would have understood if you told me you were going through that when you came back. Twisty families are sort of my specialty. I would have been your friend even if I started to feel more."
"Yeah I think you would have. I wasn't worried about that. But I was wrong to go about it like I did." Sylas's expression warmed to look at Anna. "Can't regret that though. You've done well. And you're going where you want to now."
"We both are. You didn't change your mind for some dumb noble nonsense like deserving me did you?" Anna glared.
"I think if I did you'd have popped me one instead of kissed back."
"Damn straight."
"Maybe that's how I used to see it. Yesterday when I saw you all I thought was it was the first time that I felt entirely like me. And who that is, was still headed towards you." He met her eyes. "And I let myself do what I wanted, and see where we go."
Anna too let herself do what she wanted, and reached for the side of Sylas's face. "Pretty heavy stuff for a first date huh."
Sylas's laugh was quick and the last of the wariness left his eyes. "Good thing we're not strangers, but you still can turn back."
Anna jerked her chin at the road and leaned back as Sylas turned the ignition.
The rest of the drive they spoke as close as they could manage for not quite being strangers. Comparing music taste as she flipped through the radio before delving into television tastes. Anna opened up about her friendship with the boys over the years, and now Caroline. Mindful that Sylas didn't once zone out or tense at the mention of another guy. Instead he admitted that he'd wanted to get to know Cole for a while after hearing their common losses, but hadn't known how without also letting Anna back in. And that whenever he was in a class with Ethan or Caroline he felt a calm as well as interest. Anna hugged the idea that her first friend could be close with her found family. Even if the back of her mind wondered what Jeff would have to say about it.
It pained Anna that there was a part of herself she wasn't speaking about. She didn't have that feeling on any other first date or even the few brief relationships she had. As though she always sensed they weren't going to be around long anyhow. But it felt wrong to hold back from Sylas. Yet, it wasn't just a part of herself to share, so she put it aside. If Sylas was willing to let himself just be and want, so could Anna.
And through the night there were too many happy moments to focus on. The ease in which his hand found hers as they walked to their dinner table. The way they passed samples of their dishes to one another without hesitation. They may have a lot to learn about one another, but their movements and bodies seemed to already be in sync. A comfort Anna didn't even know she had wanted. They stayed in that comfort long after their table was cleared and the restaurant began to empty.
During the drive home the temperature may have dipped low, but Anna felt a buzzing warmth. She'd told him to head for Ethan's, but the rest of her screamed to bring him to the apartment. To go to his. To let the night go on.
After the car stopped she realized Sylas had asked her something and she shook her head back into the moment.
"I'm sorry?"
"I asked if you were going to the winter festival tomorrow?"
"Oh the solstice. I forgot it's the 21st."
"Christmas next week. I figured you'll have plans for that but if you wanted to go to the festival, I'd like to take you."
"I'd like that too. Cole has a gig photographing it so I'll actually be there already with the others helping him with some of the setup."
"Great, we can meet up together."
Anna smiled at that and this time enjoyed staying put while Sylas rounded the truck to open her door. After a quick glance at the house she took his offered hand and used it to tug him down to her lips. Her other arm wrapped around the back of his shoulders while Sylas lifted her from the truck and then against its side. While their first kiss was tenderness with a snap of feelings long held back, this one was heat.
Sylas saw sense first and pulled back, though Anna felt smug to realize he wasn't quite steady about it. If her legs were going to feel like jelly, his damn well better too. His forehead lowered to her shoulder as they caught their breath.
"Well. There's that."
"There is indeed." Anna chuckled and sighed as he lowered her back to the ground. "There's witnesses at the festival, so we'll have to reign that in."
"You started it." But he kissed the top of her head. "Thank God."
Anna pat his chest and gestured to the house. "I better."
"Quickly." He kept her hand and walked her to the door.
They said a more chaste goodnight and suspecting he was the sort to not drive away until she was in the house, Anna closed the door and turned the porch light off, staying in the entryway to watch him go. She felt the memory of the last time she watched him leave sting a little less. Knowing she'd see him again, and that the path Anna too had always suspected would lead him back to her.
