I groaned, turning over in bed, and pulling the blankets over my head.

I was still in my clothes, but I'd collapsed in bed a bit after Spencer and I were done tinkering in the lab.

My bed here was comfortable and soft, but it was a bit on the small side for my tastes, so it wasn't a bed I'd normally want to stay in.

Still though, I'd managed to squeeze in a night of rest, and that's what mattered at the end of the day.

The morning light filtered through my curtains, casting a golden hue on my bedroom walls. The room was quiet, and it was a bit chilly outside.

The window was slightly ajar and a soft, cool breeze blew in every once in a while, ruffling my hair. I stretched out my legs, feeling my right hip pop and crackle, before rolling out of bed. I stood up and walked over to the mirror, brushing my messy hair out of my eyes and checking my reflection.

I didn't look half-bad, considering how little sleep I'd actually had. It was just one of those nights where I knew I had trouble settling in, but I was too tired to really get up and do anything else about it. So it'd taken me an unknown number of hours tossing and turning in my bed to get a reasonable amount of rest.

My phone beeped.

I reached over, picked it up and checked it. Natasha had texted me asking me if we were still on for the Greenhaven BBQ.

"Rai-chan, know if the power and water are back up and running over there?" I said. Rai-chan materialized, floating over to my bed.

"Yeah," Rai-chan replied. "We should be fine."

I texted Natasha.

> Yeah! See you in a few.

>>Where do you want to meet?

> Umm, I'm on campus right now. Stayed overnight to work on a magitech project.

There was a pause.

>>Oh. Okay then.

What was that supposed to mean?

> You alright?

>> I'm fine. Thanks for checking in. I'm just trying to deal with a personal problem, that's all. It's fine.

>Want to talk about it? Is there anything I can do to help?

There was another pause.

>>I actually stayed overnight on campus too. Sorry I didn't get back to your texts yesterday. It was... a lot. I tried joining the occult research club and archery team. It's a long story and they didn't work out. I'm not feeling the best, but it's not important.

>Let's meet up?

Another pause.

>> Sure. Meet at the main gate in an hour?

>See you there.

I got ready to head out and stepped into my bathroom. It was a small space, and the walls were tiled in white. The sink was made of porcelain and there was a mirror above it. My reflection stared back at me.

My eyes were bloodshot and had bags underneath them, and my hair was disheveled. I looked like I'd gotten run over by a bus.

"You alright, Ikki?" Rai-chan asked, floating above me.

I nodded and splashed some water on my face.

"Yeah. Just a bit sleep-deprived. How much sleep did I get anyway?" I said, drying off with a towel.

"Five hours and eight minutes," Rai-chan said.

"Fuck," I muttered. "That's not good."

"Well, we did stay up for a while last night," Rai-chan said as she 'leaned' against the wall behind me. "We should get you more sleep tonight, okay?"

I sighed, nodding. "Yeah."

I looked at myself in the mirror, studying the dark bags under my eyes.

"How aware are you when you put yourself into 'sleep' mode, anyway?" I asked Rai-chan.

She paused, tilting her head to the side. "I'm not really aware. I mean, I'm still aware, but it's like a really deep daydream. My mind drifts a lot, but I'm not conscious enough to be awake and process everything around me. I don't remember anything."

"So, kind of like sleep," I said, nodding.

"Yeah," she said. "It's not really something that's easy to describe. It's a bit of a privilege to be able to just turn my brain off when I want to, but it's like there's a subconscious subroutine there that lets me snap awake if there's anything threatening your safety or something that might affect the bond."

"Huh."

"But anyway, you're going to be meeting with Natasha soon, aren't you?" she asked.

I looked up at her. She was staring at me, her eyes twinkling mischievously. Her hair floated around her in a cascade of shimmering black strands, as she stared at my reflection in the mirror. She had her arms behind her back and she looked very eager to hear me say yes.

"Uh, yeah. I'm heading out in a bit.."

She grinned, and her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Well then, you better hurry up. We don't want to keep a cute girl waiting, now do we?"

"Rai-chan, it's not a date."

"I don't care if it's not a date," she replied. "She's a sweetheart with great energy, and she's probably as smart as you in all the ways you're not. That's good enough for me for you two to get to know each other. So get a move on!"

She giggled and disappeared.

"I'll give you some privacy. Leave you to your thoughts. C'mon, those pretty green eyes are waiting, Ikki! I'll be here when you're done!"

"Fuck's sake, Raiko..."

I rolled my eyes. Rai-chan was a lot more of a free spirit than I gave her credit for sometimes.

I opened the shower stall door and turned on the hot water. I stepped into the steaming stream and sighed.

The water was soothing on my body, and it helped wash away some of the fatigue I'd felt. It wasn't enough to get rid of the exhaustion completely, but it was nice nonetheless. I stood under the spray for several moments before I began scrubbing myself clean. Although the suite somehow managed to be smaller than my apartment, having hot water and decent water pressure was a major step up, and it was a pleasant change from the lukewarm to cold dribbles I'd gotten used to.

I lathered up with a bar of soap, and then rinsed off. I grabbed a bottle of shampoo and squirted some onto my hair before massaging it in.

The scent was pleasant. It was citrusy and fresh, with a hint of spice and mint, and it was refreshing to use after a night of tossing and turning. It seemed like the robotics team did keep some barebones supplies on hand.

I finished rinsing myself down, and then I stood in the water for a few minutes more. I was tired, but the hot water was soothing. After a couple of moments to center myself, I shut the faucet off and I stepped out.

I dried myself off and threw on some casual clothing: a black t-shirt, a pair of grey shorts and a blue hoodie.

I checked myself in the mirror. I'd woken up a bit, and I didn't look half-bad now compared to before.

I grabbed my phone, my wallet, and the keys to my apartment, and I slipped them into my pockets. I stopped briefly by the box of beaches Midori had bought me to grab a handful and stuff them in a paper bag, before stepping out the front door of my suite. The hallways were quiet.

I took a deep breath and made my way towards the elevators. The doors slid open with a ding, and I stepped in. The lift began moving slowly, descending downwards into the earth. As it did so, my stomach lurched slightly.

"Are you alright, Ikki?"

Rai-chan was in my head, speaking in a gentle tone.

I let out a chuckle, feeling the tension drain from me.

"Yeah. Thanks for checking on me, Rai-chan. I'm just not really used to sleeping in soft beds. But I'll live. Let's do this."

"Good luck."

I smiled as I felt her warm presence fade from my mind. Her support meant a lot to me.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. The corridor in front of me was empty.

I walked through it and made my way outside. The sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and I could hear birds chirping. It was a beautiful day, and the air was warm. The walk from the lab to the gate wasn't very far.

It only took about ten minutes for me to reach it, and I was there a few minutes ahead of schedule. I looked around.

Natasha wasn't anywhere to be seen. She wasn't standing by the main gate or anything. So I waited. I leaned against one of the nearby trees and pulled out my phone, scrolling through my feeds and reading some articles to pass the time. The city was still reeling from the Chaos Event, but things seemed to be calming down and it was looking like a day without anything crazy.

"Hiya."

I looked up from my phone. Natasha was leaning right next to me. I blinked and took her in.

Her wavy, black hair was shoulder-length and curled inwards, framing her delicate face. She wore glasses over her green eyes. She had a pale, soft skin tone and her face was flushed. She was wearing a simple outfit consisting of a pink skirt, a white cardigan and sneakers. She carried a bag slung across her shoulder, and she had a small, polite smile on her face.

It looked like she was nervous, but trying her best to seem nonchalant and polite.

I suddenly realized how close she was and felt my ears burn. I took a step backwards and coughed. I hadn't expected to be greeted like that.

"H-Hey," I said, feeling my face grow warm.

Natasha's eyes twinkled and she laughed, her smile widening.

"Boo."

She poked me in the cheek. Her touch sent a jolt of energy through my skin, and I shrank back in surprise as I felt a tingle run down my spine.

Natasha paused and pulled her hand away. "Sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you."

"No, no it's fine. I was just distracted," I said, rubbing my neck. I felt embarrassed, and my face was probably red as a tomato. "But enough about me. How are you?"

She smiled at me with a slight head tilt, her green eyes lighting up, and I saw a dark mark on her shoulder, hidden underneath her shirt beneath her cardigan.

I frowned, taking a step toward her before she could respond. "What happened to your neck, Nat?"

She tensed, but tried her best to seem nonchalant and brush it off. She pulled her shirt collar up and gave me a reassuring smile, as if to tell me it wasn't anything important.

"Oh. This?" she said. She tried laughing, but I could see the way she avoided eye contact. "Nothing to worry about. Just a small bruise."

I didn't buy it.

I'd seen enough from my upbringing on Earth to know that she was trying to hide it. I frowned. Something wasn't right. Something was going on.

I wasn't going to pry, though, and it wasn't any of my business. I was her classmate and friend, not a detective. But I could make a note of it and maybe talk to her about it later.

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"Are you sure?" I asked. "I'm just worried."

"It's fine," she said, giving me another reassuring nod. "How about we sit down at one of the cafes here before we take the train down to Greenhaven for the barbecue? My treat again."

I frowned.

"You don't need to do that, you know? You already paid last time. I don't want to have you breaking the bank on me, Natasha," I replied, rubbing my neck.

She smiled at me, her green eyes twinkling.

"You can get it back for me once the school helps you find work. I don't mind, really."

"I dunno..." I muttered. "It feels wrong."

Natasha shook her head and suddenly grabbed me by the elbow.

"C'mon," she said. "Let's go get something to tide us over. We'll take the 12 o'clock train. I value your company anyway."

"Alright, alright!"

I let out a laugh, letting myself get pulled along. I guess I didn't have a choice in this. I was being dragged by the arm.

Rai-chan snickered in my head as Natasha took the lead, and I found myself being pulled along as she walked ahead of me. It wasn't far, and she knew her way around the village.

I was surprised that she'd just grabbed my hand like that, though. She'd seemed really shy the first time I'd met her.

St. Antonia Village was a quaint and quiet town, surrounded by the East River and this world's equivalent of Long Island. The architecture was also like St. Antonia's - gothic, old and well-maintained, and it had a lot of old stone and woodwork. Most of the real estate was owned by some of the academy's major benefactors, and rented out to the students, businesses and their workers, and retirees. There was an air of serenity that permeated everything.

It was a strange contrast to the urban decay that I was used to from Earth. Even more than downtown Shoreline.

The street was cobbled, and it was filled with small, well-maintained shops and restaurants, along with the odd hotel here and there, and some apartments tucked into the sides. There was no litter or graffiti, and the people here seemed content to take their time as they browsed boutique storefronts or walked their dogs. There were some security cameras on some of the lampposts and storefronts, and I could see the occasional constable patrolling, but otherwise it felt more like a town in a storybook than anything else.

We ended up settling in at a small cafe by the waterfront.

It had a cozy feel, with wooden furniture and a few paintings of landscapes and ships on the wall, and the windows gave a nice view of the water outside. There were a few people sitting around inside, chatting or eating, and it didn't seem to be very crowded. There was a nice, homey vibe to the place. A plaque that read "The Captain's Table" hung above the door, and the smell of freshly baked pastries and coffee wafted in the air.

Natasha led the way to an open booth in the back, where there was a nice view of the water outside, and she gestured for me to slide in first.

The seats were comfortable, and I found myself sinking into them.

Natasha sat opposite me and looked at the menu, and I followed her lead.

I looked at the selection and... found it all surprisingly reasonable.

"Not too much of a sticker shock this time, right?" Natasha teased, giving me a small smile. "I've got you though. Really. I'm not hurting for money at all. It's no trouble."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I mean, to be perfectly frank I'm not to comfortable with someone paying for me. It feels wrong, like I'm a deadbeat or mooching off of you. Even if you say you aren't hurting for money, that just feels like it's taking advantage of someone, and that's not a good feeling, you know?"

Natasha paused and nodded, before giving me another smile. "It's fine. But I'll give you a fair shake, and I understand. How about this then - the next one is on you. Doesn't have to be an outing like this or anything."

I chuckled nervously. "Now, what do you mean by that?" I asked.

"I'll leave that up to interpretation," she said, grinning at me.

"Alright," I said. "Deal."

She giggled, before giving me an exaggerated wink and clicking her tongue.

"It's a deal."

"Okay, now you're just taking the piss."

I smiled, and we went back to looking at the menus.

"Let's keep it light," she suggested. "I don't wanna spoil my appetite for the barbecue."

"That sounds good to me," I replied.

"Some tea and pastries?" I suggested. "They have an assorted sampler."

"That sounds great," Natasha agreed.

We were ready to order, but no one came over. There was no one waiting tables. It was odd. Natasha frowned.

"They normally have really good service. I wonder what's keeping them?" she asked.

"You a regular here?" I said.

"As much as I could be only coming around for a month," she replied. "It's one of my favorites."

"I hope everything's okay."

"I'm sure it will be."

After several more minutes of no one coming over, Natasha stood up and walked over to the counter. She caught the attention of the older, blue-eyed waitress in her mid 30's with blue hair and a face of someone who's worked her way up the hard way.

"Hi, we'd like to place an order," Natasha said. "A green tea pot and an assorted pastry sampler."

"Sure thing, darling," the waitress replied, giving Natasha a warm smile and scribbling on her notepad. "Anything else for you?"

"Nothing, thank you."

Natasha handed the woman her card and turned to walk back. But when Natasha's back was turned, the woman looked over at me and scowled, before rolling her eyes.

I felt myself tense, and my jaw clenched.

Oh.

I see.

I watched as the woman disappeared to the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later and came over.

She had a pot of hot water, a couple of cups, a plate of pastries, and some cutlery. The food smelled great, and I was looking forward to it. The woman placed everything on our table, before turning to me.

"You're from the Earth, ain't ya?"

I nodded. "Yes, ma'am," I replied. I wasn't sure why she was asking.

"What brings you all the way out here?"

I stared at her. I was pretty sure I knew why she was being like this, but I didn't appreciate it either. She wasn't exactly being friendly.

Natasha frowned.

"Ikki is my friend from class," she answered.

"Class? At the Academy? How could you afford that?"

Natasha narrowed her eyes. But I answered.

"On a scholarship. I'm a student, ma'am."

"Oh," she said, her tone becoming a bit softer. "I see." The woman shook her head and walked off.

I sighed, letting my shoulders sag. Natasha flashed me a worried expression.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," I reassured her.

She shook her head.

"That's still not right. You don't deserve to be treated like that," she replied, looking a bit guilty.

"Maybe not. But it happens a lot. You can't please everyone."

"It's still wrong."

"I know," I replied, looking over at Natasha. "But it is what it is."

She gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry. That's a crappy thing to deal with, but you're handling it well. Better than I would have, anyway."

"Thanks," I replied. "Let's just try to enjoy this before it gets cold."

"Agreed."

Natasha reached for the pot and poured us both a cup of tea. I picked up the teacup and held it under my nose. I could smell the aroma of the leaves. It was nice, and it calmed me down. I took a sip, feeling the warm liquid on my tongue.

I set the teacup back down on the table, and looked out the window at the waterfront. The sun was shining and reflecting off of the waves, making the surface of the river sparkle. There was a breeze that made the water ripple, and it was a peaceful scene. I could see the boats out there, sailing around and fishing in the water. I took another sip of the tea.

I turned back to Natasha and smiled.

"So how have things been going for you since we last spoke?"

She smiled, picking up her tea cup and holding it under her nose, taking a deep whiff.

"Well," she said. "I've been settling in. Learning magic with the Occult Research club is probably going to be a wash though. Let's just say they're very cliquey, and some of the girls there were giving me a hard time."

"What's with that? Also, wow I didn't know magic-magic was your thing. That's... kinda cool."

She giggled, smiling at me.

"Is that so strange? What do you mean by that then?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"Well, you seem more like a violin virtuoso or artist than a mage or witch type," I replied.

"Really? I suppose so. It's not like someone like me from a common background would have any ancient secret techniques or anything," she replied, shrugging. "I guess it's more of an interest of mine than anything else."

I nodded. I remembered Rai-chan and Spencer's explanations that the old mage families tended to hoard their magic, which led to the development of the Magitech revolution and common magic to 'democratize magic'. If Natasha didn't come from a pedigree like that, it would be more of an uphill battle for her.

"That's unfortunate. I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay," she said, giving me a reassuring nod. "I'll make do with whatever I have, even if it isn't much. But what's really unfortunate is the situation with the Archery Team. That's a long and stupid story."

"Was the club also giving you trouble? Did something bad happen to you?"

"I wouldn't say anything bad happened, it was just a waste of time," she said. "I nearly caused a fight to break out with their ace and the captain and I just decided to bow out."

"What?"

She shook her head. "It was dumb, Ikki. Foot in mouth, wrong place and time kind of stuff."

I looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? That seems out of character."

"It was. It was a mistake, and I regret it." she sighed.

"What happened?"

"I just... They were making fun of someone who had shoddy equipment. Probably couldn't afford the best stuff," she explained. "I didn't like how that looked, and so I spoke up."

"Ah," I muttered. I knew how that could be, and I could sympathize.

"It was a stupid, ego-driven thing and the team captain made sure to remind me of my place."

"Oh dear," I muttered.

"Yeah. I was a dummy, but it all got cleared up in the end."

"So, no Archery club then?" I said, looking at her. She shook her head and gave me a reassuring smile.

"None at all. It's probably for the best. I've never really been a social butterfly, and by the end of that encounter, this British girl who turned out to be their best shooter took aim at him to get him to shut up." she replied.

I grinned sheepishly. "Wow, talk about a mess."

"Yeah," she replied. "It was."

"So, you're looking into something else to do in your free time?"

She smiled softly, looking to the side.

"I don't really have much of what I'd consider free time. Even those prospective extracurriculars were for personal development more than anything. If I can't get anything out of them, I'm better off doing other things with that time."

I looked at her and smiled, taking another sip of my tea. She was clearly driven, which I admired. Even though I wasn't sure if that drive had some neuroses behind it.

"You're pretty ambitious, huh?" I said.

She looked up and shook her head.

"Not particularly," she said, before taking a bite of a danish and looking at it.

I raised an eyebrow. I'd noticed a bit of a discrepancy in her attitude earlier, but it was more apparent now. She seemed to switch between confidence and insecurity in an instant.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noticing the expression on my face.

"Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard, Natasha?" I asked. "You seem a bit more wound up than last time. Like, unsure? Sorry if I'm overstepping."

She gave me a reassuring nod, and smiled softly. "I appreciate your concern. I just haven't had anyone to talk to like this in a while. It's nice to have someone to confide in," she said, before giving me a wink. "Even if you're just doing it out of some sort of conniving self-interest, you know?"

I laughed nervously, scratching the back of my head as she tilted her head and smiled.

"No self-interest, I promise," I said.

She giggled again.

"I'll be alright. But I do appreciate your concern. It's nice to know someone cares. That being said though, it was just one of those things." She shook her head.

"I don't really have a good excuse for acting the way I did, and it was a bad idea to get involved. But I guess you're half right about the ambition part. I'm looking to make the most out of the opportunities here."

"Are you trying to get perfect grades and all that?"

"Kinda maybe? It's hard to explain," she replied. She seemed conflicted, and I could see that she was wrestling with something.

"I get the feeling there's more to it."

"Maybe, but let's just enjoy the day for what it is," she said.

"Fair enough!"

We looked out the window and watched as the sun shone on the water, sparkling like diamonds, before returning to our tea and the sampler.

I wasn't sure what was going through Natasha's mind, but I knew she wasn't being fully open about it. I wanted to know more, but I knew I had to be careful about how I asked. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable or push her away.

I took another sip of my tea, and turned to Natasha.

"You said you didn't really have much time for friends?"

"I mean, not that I haven't had any. I just don't really get too close to people," she said.

"Why's that?" I asked.

She shrugged, taking another sip of her tea. She didn't seem to be comfortable answering the question.

"Just because. I don't like getting too attached to people," she said. "I'm not exactly a people person."

I looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You seem like a people person. I mean, you're friendly enough," I replied. She giggled.

"I suppose I can be a bit shy," she replied. "But, it's just how I wind up feeling about things."

"So you're a loner by nature?"

"Not a loner. I like to be around people, and I enjoy making new friends," she said.

I raised an eyebrow.

"You just said you weren't much of a people person."

"I know, it's weird, isn't it? I guess it's complicated. I've been told I end up making people feel inadequate or something, so I kinda avoid getting close to anyone," she replied. "It's hard for me to make real connections."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Maybe it's better left unsaid. Are you yourself, a loner?" she asked.

"Not really," I replied. "I like to think I try get along with anyone that I can, but I also have my own weird interests."

"That sounds about right," she replied.

"I guess... I dunno. I've always been a team player, I guess. But I wind up starting over a lot because my family moves around. It makes it hard to really make any friends. It's hard to find people who share your interests when you're a transient, and it's not like you have much of a shared background," I said.

"Is that right?" she asked. She was looking at me intently now.

I nodded, and looked out the window at the boats sailing across the water, watching them bobbing in the breeze. The wind had picked up, and I could hear the sails flapping.

"Are you a team player too?" I asked.

I looked back to her. She'd taken another bite of her pastry.

"I don't know," she replied, shrugging. "It depends, I guess."

"Depends on what?" I asked.

"Well," she replied, thinking. "I guess it's more about if I'm the right fit for the team or group or whatever."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"I dunno," she replied. "It's just something I feel."

"I see."

I thought about what she was saying. She was a driven, ambitious, and talented person. It seemed like she had a hard time opening up to people, or even letting herself get close to them.

"Do you ever worry about losing friends?" she asked, suddenly looking up from her plate.

"Huh?" I replied.

"Do you ever worry about making friends and then losing them? Like, if they decide they don't want to be friends anymore or if you have to move away? Do you ever think about that?"

I wondered if it was Caroline she was worried about. Seeing their spat a week earlier this week was something that'd been burned in my mind.

"I guess so. But I don't really dwell on it," I said.

"But don't you ever think about it?"

I paused, and thought. I remembered my friends back on Earth, and how I'd had to move so many times growing up.

"I do. But, I guess I try not to let it bother me. I'm just glad for the people I've met, and I hope I'll meet more," I replied.

Natasha nodded, but her expression was still clouded.

"That's good. I don't know why it bothers me," she said. She looked at her pastry, and then at her cup. She took a deep breath and looked back at me.

I looked at her. I had a feeling I knew where she was going with this, and I was curious to hear her out.

"I guess I've always had a hard time making real friends. I think it's because I always worry that I'll lose them," she said, before taking a bite of her pastry.

"Really?"

"Really," she said. "Like, I don't know if you've ever had someone you've trusted completely and then they just up and leave. You've kinda seen a bit of my history with Caroline, but we were practically sisters at one point. I messed up and lost that. That was on me."

I was silent for a moment, thinking.

"That sounds tough. I mean, I haven't really had that problem. I guess I'm a little more guarded with my friendships. I've never had a really bad falling out with any of my close friends," I replied, before taking a sip of my tea.

"That's good," she replied, smiling softly. She paused, and then added, "Do you think you're ever too close to someone?"

"Maybe," I replied, shrugging. "That closeness is what makes it worthwhile."

She smiled at me, but there was still a tinge of sadness to it.

"Is that how you think of it?" she asked.

I looked at her and smiled. "Yeah, that's how I think of it. I guess I don't really have any real regrets when it comes to my friends. We might never see each other again, but the time we had together was great," I replied.

Natasha smiled, but it was a wistful one, like she was remembering something. "Yeah. I think that's the most important thing, really." she replied.

She looked back out the window at the boats bobbing on the water. She looked like she was trying to sort through some feelings, and I could sense the weight she was carrying. But, I was glad I was able to connect with her a bit.

It seemed like she was carrying a lot, but maybe a friend or two could help her feel less burdened. I thought it might be nice if I could help her out a little, or at least provide some support.

We sat and chatted a bit more, enjoying the view and the sunny, breezy day.

"I'll get the tab, Ikki," she said. I nodded.

It still felt weird to let her do that, but I didn't want to make a big deal about it, especially if it was going to bother her.

I'd make sure to get her next time, I promised myself. And if that wasn't enough, I'd make sure to get her a little something to show her that I was grateful for her kindness.

We went up to the cashier to settle the bill. The waitress was polite enough to give her the check without a word, but she still shot me a nasty look from behind Natasha's back.

The two of us stepped out into the sun, and Natasha paused to stretch.

"Alright. Let's head back to the train station. We've still got a good while before our ride."

"That sounds good to me. Thanks for the tea again," I replied.

She grinned. "Don't mention it."

Natasha pulled her bag up higher on her shoulder and started to lead the way down the street. I just shook my head and smiled, before following in line with her close by her side.

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