In in instant it's like I'm swept backward in time- back to three years ago, when I'd finally decided enough was enough and to end my relationship with Gideon. I'd told him again and again that it was over, but he never seemed to take me seriously But whether or not he bought into my trying to tell him over and over that I was through, I was going to go ahead and make preparations for the inevitable (at least from my perspective anyway) fallout. And one of those things was removing my things from his apartment. I hardly spent much time over there anymore at that point, but a lot of my things were still stashed away there- kitchenware, clothes, books, little things I wouldn't be able to replace.

But it's a real challenge to move your things out of the apartment of the guy who won't believe you when you say you're leaving him. And, at that point, Gideon had begun to give in to bouts of violence more and more often, and I was sure moving my things out would set him off. So, for what little I had over there, it was a slow process of going over there with a single box and moving things out bit by bit, as troublesome as the process was.

I'd figured he'd never notice- I mean, it's not like he noticed a lot of things, like how I'd been spending more and more time away from him or that I hardly ever replied to his texts or, I don't know, that I told him it was over. But my personal drawer in his room being emptied and my toiletries going missing was something he'd somehow managed to pick up on, and to say it made him angry was an understatement (and to say it drove him to drink might have also been an understatement, too, while I'm at it).

He was crafty, though, I'll give him that. He waited for me to slink back to his apartment, thinking he was at work, with my little moving box. He waited for me to be one trip with my arms full of my things away from being free from him. He waited until my guard was down, when I'd gotten up the courage to turn on his radio so I had something to listen to and began to contemplate raiding his fridge one last time. And when I was there, distracted, vulnerable, so close to being finally done with him, he came stomping in, angry, yelling and reeking of liquor. I remember that the most: how strong the scent clung to him. In my fear and surprise I had wondered for just how long he'd been drinking before he stumbled in, roaring like a damn wild animal.

It's a moment in my life I try to forget- a moment in my life where, had fate not decided to crack a single, solitary smile at me for once, I might have possibly died. I shiver, my memory playing back the one scene I always, always skip over. I don't want to see this, but I continue, ever the fool launching myself into the unfavorable unknown.

His potential staggering blood-alcohol content did nothing to stop him- hell, it probably made him even stronger. I hardly got done explaining what I was doing before he grabbed me and threw me to the floor. I don't remember what I ran into, but it must have been made of glass because I remember the shattering noise right before Gideon loomed over me, looking down at me and yelling whatever the hell came to mind, probably. In that moment, he was more of a monster than a man, relying on his rage more than reason. And said reason he so readily cast aside would have dictated that he shouldn't attempt to commit homicide in his own apartment. And yet, there he was, crouched over me and putting every single muscle to work as he clutched at my throat.

I kicked and attempted to scream, but one action hardly amounted to anything seeing as I could hardly gasp for air let alone scream, and the other slowly began to become more and feeble the more oxygen deprived I got. And, as hazy as my vision began to get, blurring violently around the edges as my other senses dulled, I clearly remember Gideon's eyes as he looked down at me. That thought alone is enough to make me want to vomit- that look of nothing but pure, animal-like rage and murder. If the fact he was doing a really spot-on job of killing me didn't terrify me, that glare certainly did. It will probably live with me until the day I die, for all I know.

"You're nothing, bitch." I remember him snarling as drool oozed from his mouth and splashed against my cheek, mingling with tears I had begun to shed. I remember his words so clearly, since they were a phrase he'd often used while he pulled my hair or grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him. He'd always whisper it, so that no one else but me would hear. "You're nothing without me, you hear? Nothing!"

Unable to flail my leg uselessly much less attempt to kick him, I thought how fucking awful it was that I was going to die in the very place I'd been trying to leave. I was going to die on the filthy floor of my ex's apartment, listening to my favorite radio station. If anything, it was a huge, fucking surprise I definitely didn't see coming. A twist in the sad, poorly-written plot known as my life, one could say.

Continuing along the same vein of huge, fucking surprises I definitely didn't see coming, though, one second I was being strangled to death by Gideon, and the next I was suspended in what I now know to be the "Blind Eternities". But at the time I figured it was a horrific hallucination concocted by my brain that was being deprived of oxygen. I even had a profound thought as I looked around at the somewhere-nowhere-everywhere expanse I had just... appeared in, wondering if I had made it into heaven. I was unaware I had done anything special like ignite a latent ability that had been sleeping inside me- or whatever odd nonsense- and just sort of rolled with it, figuring I was dead or about to die.

And now that I think about it, I was way too quick to just embrace the fact I was about to meet my maker for someone my age. That or I took my "not giving two fucks" attitude with me to the other side, as it seemed to me at the time.

But, with a surprised blink of my eyes, I found myself lying on my bed in my own apartment. I stared up at my ceiling, trying to make sense of what had happened- even thought there was hardly any "sense" in what had befallen me. I was being choked with intent to kill me one second, the next I was in my room, lazing around on my bed as if none of that had ever happened. It was such a surreal experience, I didn't know how to react- so I didn't. I lied around on that very bed for an entire day, just staring up at my ceiling and pausing only to call out of work and gaze blankly at my phone every time Gideon called, which was often (once- sometimes twice an hour). I'd felt everything all at once when I thought I was going to die and accepted death in a surprisingly (or maybe disturbingly) calm manner. For a whole day, I lied around, unable to feel anything aside from confusion.

After that I decided to keep that memory locked away- to live my life like it had never happened and me and Gideon didn't break up by him trying to strangle me and me somehow winding up in my room very much alive. I wanted to pretend it never happened- I wanted to move on. But then my fate stepped in, calling itself Jace Beleren and reaching it's way into my brain and pulling out every last detail I never ever wanted to revisit. Jace Beleren, that fucking miserable bastard...

"Chandra...?"

Oh, that's him now.

I turn to Jace, not sure how long I've been quietly sitting in front of my takeout, contemplating his question and taking a trip down memory lane I wasn't prepared for. Judging by how worried Jace looks, I was probably spacing out for a really, really long time.

"...You're crying."

Or he could be looking at me like that because I'm crying. Angrily, I snap back to life and begin to wipe at my eyes. I can feel my tears dampen my hand and I groan in frustration as I hide my face. No matter how much I don't want to cry in front of the guy that, up until 24 hours ago was a complete stranger, I can't stop. He has unknowingly unleashed the waterworks and now is just staring at me, like he was no idea. He doesn't have a single clue he's unearthed the memory of the day that the old Chandra Nalaar died, and it pisses me off.

"Fuck off!" Are the first words I say to him, but of course I'm so overcome with emotion my words come out in sobs and hardly have any bite to them at all. Good job, me, he definitely isn't going to "fuck off" now. In fact, he's drawing closer, from what I can see between the cracks in my fingers and through tears.

"What? What's wrong?" He asks. His question about my well-being is so overwhelmingly innocent, it just makes me want to yell profanities at him more until he realizes he's what's wrong with me. "...Was it something I said?"

"Yes!" I snap at first still hiding behind my hands as uncertainty overtakes me. "Well... no! I-I don't know!"

"I'm sorry... I don't really understand." Jace mutters. I have half the mind to call him an idiot, but I hold my tongue and focus on regaining my composure first. I don't want him to see me cry- if you let them see you cry, you lose, after all. I straighten up and take a long, deep breath and rub at my eyes one last time. My face is probably red and puffy and gives away that I was crying, but at least I won't let myself shed any more tears.

"I..." Already my vision blurs and my voice wavers slightly. Don't you dare, self. "I've planeswalked before... but at the time I had no idea what it was. I was more concerned about the fact I was almost killed before it happened. I'm sure you felt it, with all your weird world-hopping nonsense: the feeling of emptiness when you have a brush with death. I tried so hard to forget it until today..."

I jump in surprise as I feel Jace run a finger along my cheek, just below my eye. Seems he's caught a tear and I've lost the battle I'd been fighting with my pride.

"It's all your fault, you know! I could have gone my entire life just accepting that maybe what I'd seen had been some crazy fever dream!" I groan, jerking my face away from his hand as I wipe at my tears myself. He touches me like I'm so damn fragile- like I'll break at any second- and I hate it!"But you just had to force your way into my life and into my business! I mean, I know you're lonely and all that, but see things from my perspective for a change!"

"Sorry..."

"God dammit, stop saying you're sorry!" I shout, and he looks back at me with an expression that screams perplexed- as he rightfully should be, since I'm just as confused, masking my anger with the volume of my voice. I haven't the slightest clue what I should do, what I mean to him or what he means to me. He's a stranger who bothered me at the diner all the time, that's who he is at a base level and that's what he should have stayed! He should have just left me alone... I think...

"Chandra..."

"Shut up..."

"No." I look up, semi-shocked he's showing something resembling a backbone, and for a second he looks incredibly determined with his gaze locked with mine. Whatever he has to say has got to be mighty important... or at least I figure until he loses composure, looking away and clearing his throat. I go from being legitimately interested to hardly giving a shit so fast, I fear I might suffer whiplash.

"Better hurry up with whatever is so damn important. You're losing me fast." I grumble. Jace perks up and immediately begins stumbling over his words, trying and failing several times to reach for the right word. "Sometime today would be nice..."

"Right, fine!" Jace practically exclaims, looking flustered beyond belief. "I need to know, Chandra... I know the first time you planeswalked wasn't at all pleasant, but I'm asking you if you could do it again. I'm... asking you if you want to travel the multiverse with me."

"And, let me guess, if I say 'no' you're just going to go off on your own and probably get killed, right?" I ask, rubbing at my eyes one last time. It seems my tears have finally run dry- at least, for now, anyway. Who knows what else this creep is going to dredge up to make me cry in front of him again. Jace is quiet for a moment before looking at the ground ashamedly and nods. "God, so young still and I'm already someone's last hope. Quite the burden, I must say."

"Please, Chandra, this is serious!" Jace speaks urgently. I laugh belligerently before answering, looking back at his look of desperation. No one has ever looked at me like this before, and I have to look away. He looks back at me like I'm some god holding his life in his hands.

"I know it's serious, Jace, but think about what you're asking me! Think about the burden you're putting on me!" I snap. "I'm a fucking nobody- just a diner waitress. I was never meant for anything important, or to be this important to someone! Up until today I was nobody special and I was okay with that! And now... now I'm some magical person, a 'planeswalker' and the only thing standing between you and death. To go from being a nobody to being your everything is... terrifying."

"...If it makes you feel any better, should you chose not to come with me, I'll erase you're memories." Jace offers up. "You can go back to living your life without knowledge of magic, or planeswalkers... or me."

"Why so accommodating, now? I mean, a while ago you were going to set me free into the world with these memories if I didn't help you." I glare back at him. "What triggered this change of heart, huh?"

"It's like you said: I failed to take your feelings into account. I've lived my life altering the memories of people to get by, and I've lived so selfishly that when I finally found you I wanted to keep you here. I've wanted you so badly, Chandra..." He pauses, looking as if he were in some kind of pain. "But I never stopped to consider you might not need me as badly as I do you. Hell, you might need me like you need a kick in the teeth."

"That's just what I was- hey!" I snap. "Did you just read my mind!?"

"Sorry, old habits die hard, I guess."

"If that's the case, I do have a habit of punching people in the face when they piss me off."

"Sorry! Sorry! It won't happen again!" Jace gasps as he guards his face.

"It had better not." I say, waiting for him to put his guard down before pressing forward suddenly, making him jump. "I'm ready and willing to fly off the handle at this point."

"I-I'll keep that in mind." Jace chuckles nervously, slowly going back to relaxing. "No more mind tricks, I promise."

"Good..."

"Then, I'll just cut to the chase." He mutters before looking me dead in the eye once more. "Will you... come away with me and discover different worlds? Will you travel with me, and escape this place that binds you?"

I open my mouth immediately but nothing comes out. I'm so sure I have an answer on the tip of my tongue, but the moment I go to answer, my words dry up. I pull away, eyes cast down onto the floor. What do I want exactly? In the beginning I had been so sure- hand on the doorknob, ready to leave all this madness behind. But now... now I can't even summon up a "yes" or a "no". Just empty, awkward silence. Right when I really, truly needed to summon up something, I can't

"I understand if you don't want to do this. It's an awfully big decision to have to make last minute." Jace shrugs sadly as he rises to his feet. I watch, still completely silent, as he walks all the way to the front door. He seems not at all surprised... but devastated. "I'll drive you home."

"Wait a second!" I call out to him from my spot on the floor. He freezes, hand on the doorknob, but doesn't look back. "Please... I can't make this kind of decision right on the spot, you're right about that. So... just give me tonight to think about it."

"Then let me-"

"It's way too late to drive anywhere." I cut him off again, refusing to look at him as he turns around, no doubt a stupid look of excitement on his face. "I don't want to go home alone, not tonight. If I do that, I'll probably get zero sleep and won't be able to think clearly. No, I think I'll stay here for the night."

"Chandra... don't you think that's a little... you know..." I look up to find Jace is now blushing like a fool, an uncomfortable grin on his face.

"What do you mean a little... oh my god, I meant I'd take the couch or a guest bedroom- you have one of those right, in a ritzy place like this?!" I shout. "Like hell I'll share a room with you, much less a bed, so don't you dare get any skeevy thoughts!"

"I-I wasn't-"

"Like hell you weren't, perv-o! I see that blush on your cheeks, you thought I meant you were going to score tonight! Ridiculous, to think I actually felt a little sorry for you..."

I hope that, regardless of what I decide after tonight, that Jace Beleren's penis comes clean off somehow.

I said I wouldn't have been able to sleep in my own apartment, but even with knowing I'm not alone despite having my own room (Jace did, in fact, have a guest bedroom handy. Which is odd, since I can't imagine who the hell he'd have sleep there) I can't sleep a wink. I just stare up at the ceiling, waiting for exhaustion to take over. I've memorized the bumps and patterns right above me, though, at this point, and sleep has continued to elude me. I can't even bear to keep my eyes closed in attempts to will myself to rest.

Minutes and then hours pass me by as I stare up into nothingness before I groan in frustration and roll out of bed. How can I possibly think about sleeping when the life of another person depends on my answer? Even if I'll forget everything I've learned today, even if I can totally forget Jace and our date, planeswalkers and magic, I'd still have to make the conscious decision to give all of that up- now, when things in my life had started to make a little bit of sense.

I hate this. I hate it so much.

I give up on sleeping- I give up on my bed and the guest bedroom entirely and wander out into the hall. Jace's apartment seems a lot different at night with all of the lights out. It seems eerie in a way, and it sends a shiver up my spine. Never have I been one to admit I'm afraid of the dark- I mean, I'm an adult. There's hardly the threat of monsters or ghosts now that I'm older, wiser and jaded by reality. It's just how... alone this place makes me feel.

On the regular, I usually crave solitude. I lock myself in my apartment for the most part, away from everyone, and at work all I want to do is escape. I normally don't mind being alone but here, in Jace's dark, quiet apartment, I want someone to hold, as corny as it sounds.

Maybe if I stuff my face with the leftover Chinese food, maybe I'll forget about this feeling of malcontent. Maybe a little food is what will help me finally get a little shuteye. Tempted by the thought of cold takeout, I wander down the dark hallway, all the way until I arrive at the corridor with the window that looks out at the ocean. Once more, I'm drawn toward the view, which is now easier to see now, with the lack of light.

I can differentiation between the sky and ocean now, lightly lit by the moon hanging above in the sky. And, off in the distance, I can see clouds hanging above the water, jolts of lightening lighting up the dark masses crawling along the horizon. The view seems so vast, and even now, where it doesn't seem like I'm looking out into black nothing, it feels like the endless ocean and sprawling night sky could swallow me up.

If just the view of the ocean can make me feel so small, the thought that there are worlds beyond this one- other huge, seemingly-endless oceans waiting for me- makes me feel even smaller, even more insignificant. It's conversely proportional to how Jace makes me feel- like I'm much more important than I think I am and that what I decide will matter. I sigh as I rest my head against the window, fogging up the glass.

"What am I even doing?" I mutter to myself. I have to ask, but I can't seem to fathom an answer. What am I doing- aside from staring out into the ocean mindlessly? What direction do I take from here?

I feel something warm being draped over my shoulders, pulling me from my thoughts and drawing a surprised yelp from my throat. I turn around quickly to find Jace lurking behind me, holding a sheet that, I assume, was meant to be placed over my shoulders.

"God! Don't sneak up on my like that, creeper!" I groan.

"Sorry..." He apologizes, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just... figured you were cold, just standing there like that."

"Would it have killed you to make your presence known? Or are you not through with trying to scare me after all?" I ask, wrinkling my nose in displeasure and crossing my arms.

"I-I wasn't-!" Jace begins to protest before I snatch the sheet away from him and walk over to the wall opposite the window.

"So, you couldn't sleep either, I'm guessing?" I ask, leaning up against the wall. He looks down at me, like I've asked him a complicated question he couldn't possibly answer. What? Should I speak slower? Me need use no big words? "Well?"

"Yeah, more or less. I don't normally sleep that much, so I figured I'd take a walk or something." Jace shrugged, looking like he's prepared to defend himself. Am I really that threatening a person? "I walked out of my bedroom and saw you, so I figured I'd grab you something. I mean... you didn't look all that comfortable."

"I'm fine, really, but thanks. I was more lost in my own thoughts than anything else." I sigh, wrapping the sheet around me. "I mean, do you blame me? I have a lot to think about."

"Sorry... for being such a burden." For the millionth time, Jace apologizes. He's like a broken record, always seeking to be forgiven, even for little things. It's like that's all he can think to say to me- not like he knows me enough to make decent conversation. Not that I know him well enough to make decent conversation with him without snapping or snarling. It seems we're both on opposite ends of the spectrum in that case.

"It's not your fault, I'm the one who can't make up her mind..." I muttered, sliding down the wall until my butt hits the floor. I draw up my legs and rest my chin on my knees, eyes focused on the horizon of dark waters and black sky. "It's not every day I have to make big decisions like this. Usually it doesn't get any more complicated than what I'm going to wear or what flavor of instant ramen I want to make."

"There's really nothing I can offer up at this point, unfortunately." Jace said regrettably. "At least, nothing that wasn't incredibly biased. Of course, I'd rather live than go to my death, even if it was with someone who hates my guts."

"Ha, ha, very funny." I roll my eyes. "I don't hate you. I mean, you're not my favorite- you think for yourself a whole lot and don't think about much else. You're awkward and definitely not the kind of guy I'd willingly spend my time with... but I don't hate you."

"Oh, wow, that makes me feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy." Jace chuckled sarcastically. "Thanks."

"..." I look up at him, narrowing my eyes. "Come sit down here, would you?"

"W-what?" Jace asks in a flustered tone. The way he acts, I might as well have asked him for sex or something. I guess I can add "possible hapless virgin" to my list of things that make Jace not my favorite kind of person.

"I said sit here with me, alright? I hate it when people look down at me when they speak!" I groan, smacking the ground next to me. "If you're going to stay up with me and talk, I don't want to have to look up at you like this the entire time!"

"You... wouldn't mind?" Jace questions cautiously. "Staying up and talking with me, I mean..."

"Who else could I possibly talk to, tool?" I murmur. "If I'm going to stay up, I'd rather not stay up alone. You're not my usual choice of company, but right now you're my only choice. There's no one else I can talk to about this and no one I can call. You're all I've got right now, so either pop a squat or scram."

"If you insist..." Jace finally gives as he walks over and slowly sits himself next to me. Silence falls between us for a few minutes, dragging by long enough to feel like hours as we stare off into the distance. Jace is slumped over, fingers brushing against the floor with his legs sprawled outward. He seems comfortable- at peace somehow. I can't help but feel a little jealous.

"...So..." I begin, drawing circles on the ground with my finger. "What sort of places have you planeswalked to?"

"What sort of places?"

"Yeah, all those different worlds you visited. What were they like?" I question. "I mean, you said this world is different from all the others- how we don't believe in magic and all that. So are the other worlds filled with that sort of thing?"

Jace's face lights up as he begins to speak- the first time I think I've seen him genuinely happy. It's strange, how it manages to warm my heart as well.

"Oh yeah. Almost everywhere I've visited before this one had magic- all types of mages besides me who could all do amazing things. They can summon magical creatures, heal wounds, even raise the dead- you name it, there's probably someone out in the multiverse who can do it." He pauses, looking away from me and out into the distance shyly. "And... if you decide to come with me, we'll probably find out what kind of mage you are, too."

"Hm, really..." I gaze down at my hands, clenching and unclenching them. "What kind of mage do you think I am?"

"One of rudeness, maybe?" Jace throws out jokingly. I don't take very kind to it, and glare back at him before punching him in the arm. "Ow! Hey, it was a joke."

"Keep making jokes like that and you're on the fast track to getting a real ass kicking." I threaten.

"R-right, sorry." He stammers. "Really, there's no telling for sure what sort of mage a person is, especially on this plane. It's so devoid of magic, it's near impossible to tell. All you're life, you've been subconsciously taught that magic doesn't exist, so it would be hard to discover your talents here."

"And mythical creatures- are there any of those?"

"Oh, there are plenty, trust me." Jace chuckled. "Sea monsters, vampires, angels, devils, elves- the sky's the limit. Anything you can pull out of a myth or a fairytale probably exists somewhere."

"Even dragons?" I ask, maybe with a little too much enthusiasm.

"Especially dragons! There are even planes where dragons are about as common as birds." Jace smiled. "I take it you'd want to visit a place like that?"

"Well, yeah, sure! I... I mean, if I decide I want to go at all." I mumble, feeling my cheeks grow warm. Ever since I was a little girl I've always been fascinated by stories like that- dragons, knights, magical creatures, spells, curses- you name it. I mean, my interests eventually got snuffed out by reality and apathy once I started getting older, but hearing those places and those creatures really do exist somewhere I can't help but act a fool.

"Well, you have all night to decide." Jace assures me. "Ask me anything you like until then, I'm an open book."

"Wow, you really think I'm that interested, huh?"

"Oh, I don't think, I know." Jace smirks before I punch him in the arm again. "Ow! Hey, watch it!"

"It's your own fault- I warned you about reading my mind." I tell him with a smirk. "Jeeze, for a mind-mage, you don't do a lot of thinking yourself."

I wake up to dim light and a sore back. I open my eyes to the same ocean view I'd fallen asleep to sometime during the night, now lit by the light of early morning. For a second I'm confused- wondering where I am and why- before I remember. Jace and I had sat in his hallway, talking about all the places he visited until I'd fallen asleep. For the first time since we met at the diner, all those long, boring nights ago, we actually had a conversation. He weaved all these interesting stories, a smile on his face, and I listened, readying my next volley of questions. We laughed a lot, like an ordinary couple, I punched him in the arm to keep it from totally seeming that way...

Jace. Where is Jace? I look around, but he's nowhere to be seen, at least not in the hallway. Slowly, and groggily I stand up and look around, not sure exactly where to start. So I just start peering into rooms, calling his name.

"Jace? Where are you?" I call, peering into what I figure to be his room. "I swear, if you're hiding somewhere, I'm going to punch you in the schnoz!"

He isn't anywhere in the bedroom- the bed is even neatly made. Everything is organized and clean, as if he hadn't attempted to sleep in it the night before.

"Jace?"

Not in the bathroom.

"Jace!?"

Not asleep in the guest bedroom.

"Jace!? Where are you!?"

Not in the laundry room, the living room or the dining room. The bags of Chinese from the night before are gone. The glasses of wine and the mugs of coffee are gone. Even the dress I'd worn the night before was gone. Everything is neat and clean, like a show home.

"...Could... he have...?" I wonder to myself. A feeling of dread brews in my gut as my nerves begin to build. It's just an assumption, but given how thoroughly clean the place looks I start to assume that maybe... Jace left while I was asleep- and not just the apartment. Maybe I had made too big a deal about how much of a burden choosing to stay here or go with him was. Maybe, to spare me, he had planeswalked away before I even had a chance to make a decision.

I'm alone again. Alone, just like I'd always wanted... right?

"...Idiot... Don't go making decisions for yourself like that..." I mutter, my eyes beginning to burn as my vision blurs. "You were supposed to wait for me to choose... you were supposed to wait..."

I hate him.

"You were the only person who might have understood me..."

He forced me into a date and forced all this unwanted knowledge upon me.

"My life... was finally starting to make sense... like maybe I could find somewhere I really... fucking belonged..."

He's a selfish bastard.

"I... I wanted to go with you, dammit!"

I hate him!

"I wanted to leave with you!"

"Chandra?"

I gasp as I look up, coming to find Jace standing in the doorway. He looks back at me, a combination of worry and confusion in his eyes- at least, from what I can make out through the tears.

"...Where... did you...?"

"I handed off your dress to Emmara. She lives in this building, so I figured I could give it to her before she went back to the city for work... that and I gave her a lot of the Chinese. There's no way I could have eaten all of it." Jace explains as he walks in. Hiding my face in my hands, I can hear him as his footsteps draw closer. "You're crying, what's wrong?"

"I'm not crying, asshole!" I snap, pushing him away once he draws too close. "I'm fine, you don't have to bother. I'm not crying!"

He's here- right here. Jace still hasn't left. I'm embarrassed beyond belief... but I'm relieved beyond measure.

"What? Next you're going to tell me you just have something in your eyes?" Jace questions, sounding a little annoyed- probably from being pushed.

"What... did I say about the... damn mind reading?" I mumble, trying my hardest not to sob.

"That wasn't mind reading, just intuition." Jace says with a light chuckle. "Sorry, though... I have a sinking suspicion I'm the reason you're crying."

"Forget it, I'm fine... really." I assure him wiping my eyes so I can look back at him without any visible tears. "I just..."

"Just what?"

"I was thinking about that one plane you were telling me about- the one full of dragons?" I begin. "It sounds like a place I'd really like to visit."

"AUGH!" Elsbeth cries just as I begin to hang up my uniform. I expected this sort of thing, but she's waited until the last minute to overreact. The entire shift she seemed like nothing was wrong and treated it like any other day. The only time she acted at all out of line was when Jace stopped by for the usual coffee, and she made all sorts of lewd comments simply because our conversation lasted for more than a couple of seconds.

"Well, that's a unique send off right there." I joke as she runs over, throwing her arms around me.

"You're leaving me to go elope with your favorite customer! The night shift won't be the same without you!" She cries. I'd put in my two weeks notice a short while back, and had really hoped Elsbeth wouldn't hear about it. But, unfortunately, she wound up being the first, so my final weeks working the night shift at the diner were full of her making all sorts of accusations and observations about the date I'd had with Jace.

Of course, I really hadn't handled the situation well at all, and slipped up in telling her I'd spent the night at his apartment the night of our date and my reason for leaving because I intended to "go traveling" with him. This, to good ol' Els' added up to me and him having some sort of crazy, all night sex romp that had us deciding to run away together to be lovers in some distant country. She was sure to romanticize every detail about the date she didn't even go to. I swear, if she ever feels like she needs an out from the late-night-dining industry, she could probably go for a career in romance novels.

"Okay, two things- one, if you call it 'eloping' one more time, I'm punching you in the boob!" I threaten through clenched teeth. "And two... you are crushing my ribs, let me go!"

"Oh, honey, you can call it whatever you want but it's plainly obvious you two fell in love all those nights ago." Elsbeth smirks as she lets me go, allowing me to breath normally once more. "I see the way you two look at one another whenever he comes in for coffee! You seem so much brighter and happier now, it has to be love!"

"Sure, whatever you say, Sherlock." I roll me eyes, slipping on my jacket.

"I only wish is that he didn't have to take you so far away so that you two can strengthen your romance." Elsbeth continues like I hadn't even spoke. "He made sweet, passionate love to you, and now he's going to steal you away from me!"

"I swear to god, do you ever hear yourself speak?"

"Now I'm going to be cooped up in here every night with nothing but a bunch of sweaty cooks and smelly bums!" She dramatically sighs.

"You know, I bet all those sweaty cooks and smelly bums can hear you." I mention, but she hardly seems phased. "look, just ask the boss to consider bringing on a new girl when he starts looking for new hires. With any luck, you won't be alone for long."

"I guess that's true... I'm still going to miss you, though." Elsbeth groans. "But... I'm glad you finally found someone. I was starting to worry you were never going to find a guy after Gideon. Jace is a very lucky guy."

"Elsbeth, I've told you a thousand times, our relationship isn't like-" I begin before my phone starts to ring in my pocket. I don't have to answer, I know who it is. I just let it ring- he can wait a few minutes more.

"Just promise me you'll invite me to the wedding!"

"Elsbeth..."

"Oh! And maybe when you two have kids, I could be their godmother?"

"Elsbeth, oh my god!" I mutter loudly.

"I'm going to miss you." Almost out of nowhere, Elsbeth's tone changes, and she looks back at me sadly. "Just promise me you'll keep in touch and try visiting every once in a while." I chuckle as I reach out, patting her on the head like a dog.

"I promise. And... maybe when I come back, I'll have something important to tell you." I assure her with a smile.

"Ooh! Like how you and Jace are going to get engaged?" Elsbeth wiggles her eyebrows as I furrow mine and begin to head for the door.

"Bye, Els'." I groan as I leave.

"Don't forget about me!" She calls to my back. I chuckle to myself as I step out into the night. If there's one thing I'm going to remember, it probably is going to be Elsbeth.

"So... are you ready?" I turn to my side, coming to find Jace pushing himself off of the back wall of the diner. He's wearing the most ridiculous outfit, like he's fully prepared to go midnight larping. Unable to hold back a snort I turn around, trying to choke back the laughter. "...What?"

"Nothing, nothing, I just... that outfit..." I chuckle, holding my sides that have now begun to ache. I can hear Jace groan at my back, but I don't care.

"Look, it's not all that ridiculous, trust me." He attempts to convince me.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say." I laugh, slowly turning back around and attempting not to crack up a second time. "...nice cloak by the way."

"I really should have expected this." Jace sighs heavily as he tosses me a backpack that's better suited for camping. He's wearing a similar one, filled with essentials we had decided were necessary to bring along. "You're going to feel really silly when you're the only one in a t-shirt and jeans, trust me."

"Then I'll just find something more suitable to wear." I shrug. "I was thinking chainmaille."

"Whatever suits your fancy, I guess." Jace shakes his head. "But we should really head off before your friend decides to come out and give you one last goodbye."

"Riiiight. I'd rather be dead than be seen with you in that ridiculous getup." Jace opens his mouth to protests, but thinks better of it and instead follows after me as I begin to walk away. I bet no matter where we go, his outfit is going to look incredibly odd.

"So, I was thinking, there's a plane made almost entirely out of metal- maybe you'd like to visit there first?"

"No way, Beleren. You promised me dragons, so we're gonna go see dragons."

"Alright, fine, dragons it is. So long as you don't complain about nearly getting burned to a crisp."

"So long as you don't complain about being a human shield."

"I might actually have some complaints regarding that."

"Too bad, loser. Lead the way."