After Zeke asked for information on Vincent White, I didn't see much of him. I figured that he was busy doing whatever, and left him well enough alone. Besides, I had enough to do myself with a new threat that was trying to reek havoc on a nearby town.

It was awhile before I saw Zeke again.

~~~
There were many perks to being me. I had street credit, people whom I didn't even know were scared shitless at the mere mention of my name, and I could get anything I needed with the dial of a number. The downsides were that I was often called on to take care of unconventional business that usually - but was not limited to - either included a demon, an over-powered maniac, or an army of some sort, usually undead or seeking world domination/utter destruction. Sometimes, I got lucky, and it was a mix of all of the above.

This time, I was fortunate enough not to have to deal with an overpowered, maniacal demon army of undead or otherwise seeking to conquer and destroy the world.

However, I did end up with an extremely pissed off god that wanted to exact his revenge on innocent children.

Very fairytale-like. But since everyone I knew was scared out of their wits or too busy to give me the time of day, I was alone. Which, really, didn't bother me, except for the fact that I was being crushed - quite literally.

I rolled over, barely dodging the shrapnel that this guy threw my way.

He roared his displeasure of being cheated out of seeing me die, and I was picked up by the hair - thrown helplessly through the air and into a building. Luckily for me, I had decided on using my jacket - enhanced and thus impact resistant -  today, so he was also cheated out of me breaking my spine. My head, however, was less lucky, as it cracked against the building.

I fell to the ground, groaning softly.

"Give up yet?" The man-god-beast-thing leered.

I coughed, rolling over onto my hands and knees before pushing myself up. "Nah. I usually only surrender when my life is hanging by a thread. Even then, I'd probably be bluffing." I stood straight, adjusting my jacket as I faced him.

"Are you mocking me?"

"Me? Mocking you? Do you have any idea who I am?" I scoffed. "The idea itself is absolutely ludicrous."

He narrowed his eyes, and I got the slightest idea that he didn't believe me.

I was ready for his attack this time, muttering a spell under my breath and touching a symbol on my wrist as he swiped out his hand. A yellow shield went up as he went to strike me, and he flew back when his hand hit the shield, crashing to the ground. I walked through the shield with ease, kicking my steel-toed boot into his chin.

He sprawled backward, and I pulled my dagger from my boot, ready to end it already because I was exhausted, wounded, and I hadn't gotten to care for Knight and Cheyenne this morning, all because the dude in front of me decided to be a prick kill innocent children that still had so much to live for.

Could a girl ever get a break?

Nope, my mind replied as someone tackled me from behind.

I landed - quite unfortunately - on top of the psychotic god that had thus far ruined my day, and dropped my dagger as his hand snaked out and gripped me by the throat.

Whoever tackled me was soon bypassed as the god rolled us both over so that he was straddling me, and I was at his mercy, gasping for air with my fingers digging uselessly into his wrist.

Unlike the general consensus, a god was not always an unearthly being with unlimited power - though I'd  met my fair share of those. The gods I dealt with were usually extremely powerful people that usually hated everyone in the world for some reason or another.

Basically, they were pissed off, overpowered adrenaline junkies who had a knack for wreaking havoc and getting on my bad side. It was rather annoying, because they usually thought of themselves as actual gods, rather than the pathetic - mortal - wannabes they truly were. Their egos weren't exactly heartwarming.

Black spots danced in my vision, and I could feel my self preservative instincts kick in. A gold sheen covered my eyes for a moment, before my world went to black and white. I couldn't see much, I could only hear my heartbeat and the heavy breathing of the man trying to kill me.

My body relaxed, bypassing the instinct to fight for air.

I could feel the growing discomfort of the man, even as my eyes shut. I could feel his skin split between my nails as they cut into his skin, and then I could hear the blood gushing from his new cut.

His hand released my neck, and I gasped for air, eyes fluttering open. I could hear the blood rushing to my head, and I felt truly exhausted.

The god toppled off of me, clutching his wrist in vain attempt to stop the bleeding.

I rolled over, grabbing my dagger, and bringing it up to slice at the man who decided it was cute to almost bring me to my death. Or so I thought.

The man wisely stepped back. "Blythe. C'mon, do you really not recognize me?"

The golden sheen left my eyes, and I stared up at Zeke, who was peering down at me in concern.

"Sorry," I mumbled, getting to my feet.

"Don't worry about it. Are you alright?"

"Been worse."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I need to work on my timing."

I shrugged. I glimpsed the god rise to his feet from behind Zeke - obviously he had found a way to heal. Before I could react, Zeke turned around, hand out.

The god doubled over in agony, a cry of pain escaping him.

"I would advise you to crawl back to whatever hole you came from and grieve your loss silently before I am forced to take extreme measures against you," Zeke ordered, his voice thundering.

I saw the thing that actually tried attacking me as it stampeded toward Zeke at an alarming speed - a "disciple" of this piteous god.

My dagger hit its mark before I even knew my arm was up. The scraggly grey thing - it didn't even look human - was dead before it could even process it was hitting the floor.

Zeke stared for a moment, obviously unused to my inhuman reflexes. Then, he turned back to the god. His fingers curled, and the god cried out, before silencing himself. I watched his eyes glaze over, and then he walked out of the town almost sulkily.

Zeke studied the town square I had chosen to overtake the god.

"I'm impressed at how little damage was caused," he remarked.

I shrugged. "I tried to make sure that I didn't destroy their precious town. I don't have enough money to rebuild an entire town."

He nodded. "Understandable." He turned to me. "I'm sorry I didn't make it sooner."

"Don't worry about it," I replied. "You were busy with other things, and weren't aware I was being treated like a rag doll."

"Yeah... But I still should have been here."

"It's my job to take care of pricks like him, anyway. If I needed help, I would have asked." No, I wouldn't have, but that's beside the point.

He looked at me, obviously doubting my words.

I doubted them myself, but, of course I would never say that.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. His eyes examined me, looking for any obvious wounds.

"Tired," I replied.

His hand reached out and lifted my chin as he examined my neck. "Christ, Blythe. You shouldn't even be speaking right now."

Granted, my voice was a bit - a lot - scratchy, and when I spoke I felt like I had swallowed glass (been there, done that), but I knew that it wasn't anything to be concerned about. I'd had my windpipe almost crushed so many times in the past that it didn't bother me. It would just heal before I got home, in any case.

I shrugged. "Child's play," I replied. But the look he gave me made me stop from saying anything further.

I pulled out of his grasp and walked over to the minion thing, yanking my dagger from where it was embedded into the thing's chest. I had long since stopped questioning my sickening accuracy, on the note that it probably wasn't my placed to complain if it got the job done.

"Do you do things like this regularly?"

I glanced at him. "Like what?" I inquired, ignoring his disapproving look.

"Take on people twice your strength and physical ability?"

I smirked slightly, wiping the meat and blood onto the thing's dead body. I made a mental note to learn as much as I could about this... thing so I could be better prepared next time. "I've dealt with worse in worse circumstance. And survived." Obviously.

"Why?"

I didn't reply, putting my dagger into it's place.

"Blythe?"

"Because I can."

With that, I walked off.

~~~

The truth was, it was my job. I owed it to so many people to keep these lunatics off of the street and to make sure no one died at their hands. I failed at times, but I always got it in the end, and that's what mattered. That even if I couldn't save a life, I could avenge it. And that meant everything to me.

~~~

Zeke tried reaching out a few times after the incident, but gave up when it was obvious I didn't want to speak.

In complete honesty, I wouldn't have minded, but I was in that mindset where I had to have one focus, or I wouldn't get it done.

Which, unfortunately for us both, Zeke didn't understand, so he probably thought he had gotten me so worked up or so upset with him for whatever reason, and that I was purposely ignoring him.

I had just finished making myself some tea and was sitting down at the counter to follow up on some research when the knock came.

I sighed, standing up and going to the door. I answered it, not really surprised to see Zeke standing there.

"Zeke," I greeted him in monotone.

"Blythe. You haven't been answering my calls."

"I've been busy."

"With?"

"Things that don't concern you," I replied, ignoring the guilt that shot through me when his expression of annoyance turned into something akin to hurt.

"Did I do something to you?" he asked. "You've been ignoring me, and you seem to have shut down since I last saw you. Was it something I said? Did something I ask the last time I saw you make it uncomfortable to be around me or something?"

There was a tone in his voice that almost sounded like desperation. But that was crazy, right? There was no way he was bothered by the fact that I hadn't spoken to him in a few days to the point that he crawled to my door in vain attempt to mend something that wasn't even broken. Was there?

"I've been ignoring everyone. But it's not something you did. I've been very one-track minded lately. Nothing personal."

He nodded slowly. "Alright, I suppose. I was sort of concerned that something had happened, or that I had done... something... to piss you off."

"No. Chances are it's something I've been doing that has made me ignore people. It's rarely someone I know who is the reason I shut everyone out." I smiled reassuringly, slightly unused to the obvious concern he was showing for me and our friendship.

"Are you okay, then? I mean, I've asked around, but you haven't left your house, and I just..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

I chuckled softly. "It's been a very long time since someone has shown so much concern for me. I promise, Zeke. I'm perfectly fine."

He nodded. "Okay." He grimaced. "I just came across as really needy, didn't I?"

"Just a little bit," I replied lightly. "But the concern is flattering, I'll admit."

Zeke nodded again, shifting on his feet.

"Zeke, is there something you need to say?" I inquired, noting that he was being way more awkward than usual.

"Uh..." He stuttered for a moment before sighing in frustration.

"Zeke?"

"Blythe... Would you, maybe, like to do something to... Do something with me later?"

"Are you asking me out?" I raised an eyebrow, even though my stomach did a little flop.

"Yes...?" He grimaced. "I mean, you don't have to say yes, so don't feel obligated to, but I just think that it would be nice to get to know you as Blythe Hayes the sixteen year old girl instead of Blythe the immortal badass. ... I'm going to stop speaking now."

I smiled at his obvious discomfort and nervousness. It was cute.

"Hey, Zeke?"

"Yeah?"

"I think that is the most sincere, most personal date proposal I've ever gotten. And considering that I've had many over the years, that's saying something. It would be very cruel of me not to say yes."

Zeke looked up at me in surprise. "Really?"

"Would I lie to you?"

"I suppose not." He smiled at me dorkily, looking awfully adorable as his shaggy brown hair flopped into his face, covering his dark blue eyes ever so slightly.

I laughed softly. "Did you have something in mind today, or...?"

"See, I didn't really even plan on this today, so..." He grimaced. "Give me a day or two, and I'll come up with something."

I smiled. "Don't rush yourself. I'll be awaiting your call."

He chuckled and nodded. "I'll talk to you then."

~~~

Two days later, I was out grooming my horses when my phone rang.

Knight, whom I had been brushing, whinnied disapprovingly as I stepped away to answer the call.

"What's up, Zeke?"

"You free?"

I glanced at Knight and Cheyenne. "I'm grooming my horses at the moment. Give me a bit; I'll call you when I'm ready."

"Alright."

I hung up and continued with my previous task.

Later, after I had dressed as a normal teenager - with a cream blouse, jeans, and boots, as well as my signature jacket - and had made sure I had a backup weapon - in the form of a pocket knife - I called Zeke back.

"I'm awaiting your arrival," I announced with a slight dramatic air.

I smiled as Zeke laughed. "Dramatic tones from you are almost abnormal."

I snorted. "I have a humerous side, you know. It just doesn't come out very often because I'm not around many people I trust."

"You trust me?"

"Would I be going on a date with you if I didn't?" I challenged. "Of course I trust you; we've been working together for almost a year now. If I didn't trust you, you wouldn't be very prominent in my life."

There was silence on Zeke's end for a moment, as I listened to the distinct sound of a car starting. The faint sound of a running engine was all that filled the silence for a moment before Zeke spoke again.

"It's been while since someone has admitted to trusting me," he said slowly. "Especially someone who... Well. Is you." I could practically see him rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Dunno. You're so casual about it. But trust is a huge thing to me."

"Trust is a rather huge deal. But if someone betrays my trust, they usually didn't have much of it in the first place. And, for the record, it takes a lot for me to trust someone. You're one of very few that I'd trust with my life." I paused for a moment. "Perhaps this isn't the best conversation to be having over the phone," I mused. "The topic of trust is better had face to face."

"Yeah..." I hears him chuckle to himself. "I'll see you in a few. We'll talk then."

"M'kay," I replied.

He arrived at my house a few hours later. I opened the door and stepped over the threshold. I tapped a space on the door frame, and the door swung closed, a white sheen flashing over it and then disappearing.

"You protect your house with magic?" he asked skeptically. "I thought you weren't Gifted."

"I am protecting my house with magic. But it's not magic I was born with," I replied, evading his accusation with simple ease. "Spells come in handy when I need a quick escape or whatever." I shrugged. "I use witchcraft. Or, spells contained in a book of witchery, along with herbs and sigils and such. They're handy."

"So you're not Gifted?"

I hummed softly, debating on whether or not I wanted to tell him right now. "I never said that," I replied as we walked to his car.

He looked at me in surprise. "You have power?"

I shrugged. "Would I be perfect if I didn't have a bit of everything?"

He peered at me a moment before opening the passenger door for me. "Yes."

I climbed in and had to wait as he closed the door, walked around to the driver's side, and climbed in before dignifying him with a response.

"You flatter me."

He glanced at me with a grin. "That's what I'm here for." He started the car.

"I do believe you're actually here to provide entertainment for us to bond over and repeat the process over a matter of weeks until we find that things don't work and go our separate ways, or they do work and we become an 'item'."

"Did you...just manage to put our romantic future in terms that were unglorified? While being offhand and dignified about it?"

I nodded, smiling, as he pulled out of the driveway. "I did. I tend to do that a lot. It annoys so many people. Though, I don't think 'unglorified' is a word."

"Shut up."

I laughed softly.

He glanced at me, smiling slightly. "So, back to the topic at hand. Your powers. What are they, and why have I only learned bout them now?"

I considered this. "I don't know. I know I have the ability to heal, and some sort of energy that I can emit from my hands. And something to do with my mind. But I can't say exactly what.  I haven't... developed them. So I'm not all too sure myself."

He glanced at me again in surprise. "You haven't developed your powers?"

I nodded. "That's what I said."

"W- why?"

I hesitated. "I... made a vow. Long ago. That I wouldn't let myself be corrupted by power. So I forbade myself from using my given powers. I won't say why. It's harder than you'd think."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well. Remember when we met for the second time? In that cafe?"

He nodded. "Can't forget it."

"When that man had the gun pressed to my temple. What did you see in me?"

"You... Were eerily calm. And staring off like you weren't on Earth," he said slowly.

"Anything else?" I watched him closely, as the gears turned in his head and his navy blue eyes seemed to spark with recognition.

"Your... your eyes. They changed from grey to... Gold?"

I nodded. "I often pass it off as a scientific brain trigger that takes place when I'm in danger or angry. A built in warning system to stay the hell away from me because I'm probably plotting murder. In truth, it's my instinctual powers coming into play. I lose all sense of sight, but my instincts kick in - almost primitive, mind you, which makes it even more important that I keep it in check - and I'm able to disarm the situation. Self preservation, if you prefer. It's why I have to keep myself so calm - because of what would happen if I lose control. Many people would die. I haven't taken the time - I don't trust myself, really - to access my powers and keep it under control that way."

"Right. So, what I gathered is you really are a badass, and that gold eyes mean that I should steer clear."

I chuckled. "Pretty much."

"So... Instead of choosing to harness your power and use it for good, you're choosing not to try because you're afraid."

"There's more to it."

"Like?"

"Background that I can't be bothered to explain. I'm a very comfortable woman, but even I have to have my insecurities. Even if it's just one or two."

Silence reigned. I knew he was judging my choices.

I sighed. "What were you Gifted with, Zeke?" Even though this was going to take a turn for the worse, I wanted him to understand.

He paused for a moment. "A sort of mind control, I suppose. I can inflict head damage and persuade a person to do something with the damage I inflict. It's... Rather messy and complicated."

I nodded. "You control it well? You have strong will power?"

"I suppose I have to, yeah."

"What if you had seen someone with that power and use it for evil? To destroy something dear to you? Someone dear to you?"

"I..." He looked at me. "I would see my power differently."

"Now, imagine that this person was someone you trusted with your life. And they've just betrayed you because they had this power and they used it to destroy your loved one or possession."

He blinked. Silence fell, and I knew my point had been made.

"Blythe?"

I didn't reply, knowing exactly what he wanted to ask me. I didn't want to deal with my sob story today.

"Was... Whoever did this to you... Were they the ones to...?"

"Kill my parents? Ding ding ding! Zeke wins with his excellent deduction skills!" I snapped, my voice dripping with sarcasm and venom to lace the pain of the memory of my dead parents.

Zeke fell silent.

I was well aware that this date wasn't off to the best start. I was also aware that my bitter attitude towards the topic of my magic and my dead family didn't much help matters. Zeke had a privileged life - relatively speaking - I couldn't condemn him for not understanding what I had gone through, especially if I wasn't willing to explain to him why it was so important to me.

I sighed softly. "Sorry. That was out of line. I don't like talking about my past and such. As you can tell. It's... not a pretty topic. Especially when we're attempting to be moderately normal for a day."

Zeke shrugged. "I'm sorry for pressing. I need to somehow get it through my head that I won't be able to learn all there is to know about you in a small amount of time." He chuckled softly. "This isn't really off to the best start."

I smiled. "No, it's not. But I have faith." I glanced at him. "Wouldn't be here if I didn't."

He smiled softly.

We didn't speak much after that, but the silence was comfortable instead of filled with tension.

Zeke drove us to a small town I hadn't ever really stepped into. Or, if I had, it wasn't to sight see.

He parked the car and led me, still in relative silence, to a small building. "Wait here," he addressed me. "I've got to do something really quick."

I shrugged. "I'll be here."

He smiled again - he'd been doing that a lot today, it seemed, and I had to wonder if he was just a smiley person, or if I had something to do with it - and walked into the building.

I tucked my hands into my pockets, examining the area. It was something I'd learned to do when I was in a vulnerable position - without powers, not really prepared for an ambush and such - and I figured that it was better safe than sorry to be on alert for assholes who like to ruin my days off. A pocket knife wasn't exactly practical for a sixteen year old on a date, but without powers and no promise that my plethora of spells and quick escapes would be handy, a pocket knife was about as safe as I could get without carrying around a giant dagger or a gun.

I note the alley ways lining the streets, and the buildings and houses that gave the street, and the rest of the town, I'm sure, a rather homey feel to it. Not really the type of place someone expected to be robbed or ambushed. I looked back at the building Zeke had gone into, just as he walked back out.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I had something I had to do."

"No problem." I shrugged again.

He beckoned down the street, and we started walking.

The day turned out to be a blast.

I hadn't had so much time to be laid back and act like the sixteen year old I looked like I was in a very long time.

Zeke turned out to be a dorky, absurd child when he wasn't playing the role of a mature government agent. It was cute, and I found myself surprised when he revealed that he hadn't been out with anyone in a long time. Now, I hadn't, either, but that was because I was naturally reclusive, whereas he was a socialite who knew how to make friends with a genuine ease.

We sat on a park bench as he told me a tale of the time he was kidnapped by a desperate man who needed money. I was pretty much in hysterics, as I often found (and still do find) that pathetic people who did pathetic things for pathetic reasons were not really who you would expect to kidnap a seasoned agent who had powers and training against attacks. It was amusing.

"I lived. Obviously. But James and Sierra never let me live it down."

I snorted, my cheeks aching from grinning and laughing. "I wouldn't either. That is what I would call rich blackmail."

"They agreed." He chuckled.

I leaned back against the bench, peering up at the sky as well as I  could with the tall trees covering the majority of it.

"I had fun today." I looked at him. "This is the first time I've been away from home for any other reason than business or such in an extremely long time. You should feel very proud of yourself right now."

He grinned. "I do. I also would like to know if you'd want to do this again some time."

I hummed. "That was much more smooth than your original proposal, you know."

He laughed. "The first time I was scared you would reject me. My confidence has grown, I think."

I grinned. "Well, it should, because I would like to tell you that I would not oppose to a second date."

He looked terribly delighted at that, and I had to laugh.

~~~

Our relationship quickly flourished. Zeke was a person who I not only found romantic interest in, but who I found myself confiding in more often than not.

My reputation flourished as well, and I was often a consultant for cases that needed me.

I was sitting in the office Zeke and I shared, sitting cross-legged on his desk and sipping on the coffee he had bought me earlier that morning, as he shuffled through papers and asked me questions about a case he was assigned to, but needed a second opinion on.

A knock sounded on the door, and Zeke called for them to enter.

A man and woman  - respectively known as Adam and Cecilia - entered, in a heated debate.

"It had to have been him! Who else would have used that power?" Adam argued.

"Hypnosis isn't an uncommon power!" she rebutted. "He has an alibi, you idiot! Even if it was him, we have no solid evidence. It wasn't him, though."

"Who did what with hypnosis?"

Cecilia turned to me, red in the face. "Adam is trying to tell me that Luca Petrini hypnotized Benjamin Edwards to kill that woman - Alexia Bravely."

My stomach did a flip. I hadn't heard about her death. Nate must have had more on his plate than I originally thought if he hadn't told me yet. The poor girl. Zeke looked at me knowingly. "When?"

"Two days ago," Adam replied.

"Two days ago, Luca Petrini was in a room full of cameras. In a locked down house with insane security keeping him inside," Cecilia informed me.

"I'm well aware. I have the camera feed."

They looked at me strangely, but didn't question it.

"Cameras can be manipulated," Zeke reminded us.

"Thank you!" Adam said in exasperation.

I rolled my eyes. "Doesn't mean they were, Adam. There's an easy way to settle this. Were Roger's eyes bloodshot when he came to?"

"No..." Adam admitted. "Why?"

"Because the mental strain brought on with Petrini's hypnosis can bring on symptoms similar to sleep deprivation, which inflames blood vessels in the eyes," I explained. "If they weren't bloodshot, it wasn't him."

It was Cecilia's turn to huff a thank you.

"Who was it, then?" Adam challenged.

"Did you have any witness reports on how Edwards was acting while under hypnosis?" I asked.

"Yeah." Adam nodded. "The deceased's younger sister, who witnessed the death, said he was very angry. He looked like he hated Alexis, apparently. The death was brutal."

I sighed. "Did she have any connections to Edwards?"

"They were friends in the past. We infer that they were probably more than that, but there's no evidence. They hadn't seen each other in years, though," Cecilia said.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," I muttered quietly. "Did the name Vincent White come up in any of your searches? For either party?"

Zeke's eyebrows furrowed, and I knew he was trying to figure out how I made that connection. Adam seemed confused as well.

"Why him of all people?"

"His powers are based off of emotion. He's a hypnotist as well, but he can persuade one based on their insecurities to reverse their emotions towards someone. The stronger the emotion, the worse it is. For example, if Benjamin was in love with Alexia, Vincent could use his insecurities to grasp ahold of his mind and turn that love into an undulating hate. Then, when the job was done, he would revert back to normal, with vague memory of killing her, but no way to go back to stop it. White doesn't leave physical evidence in his targeted host. Because it's all branched from the target's ability to love and hate equally. Thus, making him the last person we'd suspect."

"Which begs the question - how you figured that out in the first place," Cecilia replied.

I shrugged. "If I told you all of my secrets, I wouldn't be nearly as revered as I am. You wanted a lead, you've got it. Don't ask questions that are just a waste of your breath. Run along, now." I waved them off.

They glanced at each other and shrugged, turned, and walked away.

"If people knew half of the things I know, I'm pretty sure you'd be in jail. Or labeled as a hero for the whole world." Zeke smirked at me.

"Probably the former. Though, I wouldn't mind the latter. Heroism is great for the résumé."

Zeke chuckled, and I smiled, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Lunch today?" he suggested, glancing at his watch.

"Sure. I have to meet Nate at four, but I'm free until then."

"Your friend, right?" I nodded. "Why do you have to meet him?"

"He needs my help with something. I have to go play big sister."

Zeke looked confused. "What does Nathan need help with?"

"Ah, just some trouble he happened to get into. We're meeting so I can help him clear it up. He tends to step on toes when getting info for me, so I return the favor by making sure no one kills him." I shrugged.

"Huh..." He nodded slowly. "Fair enough. Does he tend to get in trouble a lot?"

"All the time." I nodded. "Some times I'm half convinced he lets himself get caught just so I can stop by more."

I may have slightly been egging him on, because I had the slightest suspicion he was jealous.

From the way his jaw clenched slightly, I knew I had struck a cord.

"How long will you be gone for?"

I hummed. "Day or two depending on who I have to hunt down and set straight. Maybe not even that long if it's an easy fix."

He nodded again. I took another sip of my coffee, studying Zeke from over the rim of the cup.

"That's not a problem, right?" I asked, setting the cup down.

"Er... no. Nope, not a problem at all."

I smiled at him. "Good. Lunch?"

He smiled slightly and nodded.

~

I returned after two days of tracking down maniacs and helping to clear Nathan's name, to find out that Zeke had taken a last-minute mission out of pure freewill. Which was annoying in itself, but I didn't have the means or the time to sit around and mope about missed opportunities for a week while Zeke was helping the world to be a better place.

The first noticeable attack on me was when I was in town buying more food for my house.

Now, I'll admit, hiking thirty minutes from home because cars are too easy to track and the matter of not wanting to use my horses for anything outside of the realm of safety they stayed in was probably not wise on my part. Having a multitude of bags in my possession weighing me down and preventing easy access to my weapons was easily the most idiotic thing I could have done.

But, normally I didn't get random attacks from behind while out getting groceries like any normal girl my physical age.

I heard the person before I saw them. I didn't even process what I was hearing directly. I just heard the sound of breathing, and then my arms went out, the bags full of canned food striking the man behind me in the chest.

A string of curses escaped my mouth as the man stumbled, before righting himself.

The only thing that really ran through my mind was the fact that Zeke would probably yell at me if I didn't restock on food.

Why that came to mind in that moment baffled me (and does to this day).

But despite the completely irrelevant thought and the fact that this asshole was about to make me ruin food that cost me good money, I dropped the bags in my hands, grimacing at the sound of an egg or two cracking.

God dammit. Those were expensive.

Priorities apparently out of the window with any of my rational thought, I relied on instinct to help as I danced back, dodging a poorly aimed punch and reaching for the small metal tube in my pocket that extended into a baton - a recent gift from Cecilia, who happened to be a weapon's expert as well as Adam's partner.

The man seemed almost lethargic in his attempts, but he managed to clip my shoulder with a fist made of apparent lead before I struck him haphazardly in the sternum as one might hit a baseball with a bat. He wheezed, before crumbling to the ground. I didn't bother checking to see if he were conscious or dead.

I clutched my shoulder as it throbbed. Holy hell that hurt.

I glanced around. I knew it was too farfetched to hope that the man was the only one of his kind ready to attack, but the sight of nine other men and a woman who looked as if she were built to take down three gods without blinking an eye made my heart sink. Armed with just a baton today, I couldn't possibly dream of taking them all on. And even if I did, I would probably get fatally injured, and I was too far from home to consider making it there in tie to stop myself from dying, even with my healing charm.

Shit.

Zeke was supposed to be coming back tomorrow, and Nathan was too far away to possibly make it in time to help save the day. I doubted James had time for me with whatever it was he did those days.

I was being practical. I couldn't win this fight, and I knew it. Physically, I was a sixteen year old girl, and I didn't have much of a weapon selection. I was screwed. In my panicked state (unruly, yes, but everyone loses their cool at times),I doubted I could harness the multitude of power sigils on my body to help with an escape. I had to have a level head for that. Not to mention, it would take effort I didn't have.

So I ran, internally weeping over my lost groceries. Even running I knew that they were going to catch me. And they did.

I was pummeled before I could even process it. It was not one of my better days.

Fortunately, my self preservation kicked in, and I was able to dispatch them all before I was killed.

I limped home, not even bothering to do anything about the scene I left behind.

I locked myself inside of my house and didn't speak to anyone for the rest of the day. The shame of such a loss struck a cord in me. I  myself wallow in self pity.

~~~

Two days later, Zeke called me in a bit of a panic.

"Blythe?"

Me having just woken up from a slumber that was well needed, I wasn't really in the mood to be polite, especially with my fail two days prior. "Yes?" I asked, coming across snappier than intended.

"Are you alright? No one had heard from you, but there's bags of groceries a short distance away from your house, and lots of blood. Not to mention two dead bodies."

"Fine," I mumbled wearily. "I had a run in with some interesting people and it didn't go too well."

"Well, I can see that. I'm on my way."

"You don't have to bother yourself." I sigh. "I've healed for the most part anyway."

He didn't respond immediately. "I do have to bother, Blythe. And I don't care if you've healed. I'm coming over and you're going to let me in, or I will find a way to break into your house, and you will not like the consequences."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm going back to sleep. My door is open when you arrive."

"Why is your door open when you were just attacked?"

"Because breaking into my house is just suicide, plain and simple. Also, I just unlocked it."

That was true. In the time we had been speaking, I had climbed out of bed, unlocked my front door, and then climbed back into bed.

"Of course." He chuckled softly. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Mhm," I mumbled, ready to go back to sleep for the ten minutes it would likely take for him to get to the door.

He hung up. I set my phone down and closed my eyes, drifting off.

~

I woke up again to a knock on my bedroom door frame.

"Blythe?"

Zeke's voice was a soft whisper, as if he were scared to wake me up.

I opened my eyes and looked at him.

He frowned. "What happened to your face?"

I was assuming he was referring to the black eye that refused to heal and the ugly bruises that marred my jaw and forehead. "An ambush," I mumbled. "They outnumbered me and pummeled me. I didn't have adequate weaponry to stand a fighting chance."

"You killed two of them."

I smiled dryly. "The girl who killed them was hardly me, Zeke. I didn't kill them out of skill, I killed them because they were killing me."

Understanding and sympathy flickered in his gaze. I could tell he wanted to come in, but he hesitated.

I sat up. "You can come in. I'm not going to kill you for being in my room, you know."

"Yeah, well, I never know with you. You tend to be unpredictable at best." He stepped into the room, his gaze fleetingly examining the charms that hung from the walls and the array of weapons visible on the wall nearest my bed. He walked over and sat down on the edge of my bed.

"I'm not that unpredictable," I replied with a small smile. "Not when you stop being afraid and start seeing me as just another person."

"How many people have accomplished that?"

"Three, so far. One of which has been dead a very long time."

"You see a lot of death, don't you? With your immortality and all?"

"It's not immortality. But yeah, I do."

Zeke studied me for a moment, looking pained, as if he didn't like that I had felt the pain of losing people I loved. "Blythe, I'm going to ask a question."

"Ask away."

"Why do you so recklessly endanger yourself for others who have no reason to deserve that kindness?"

"Because it's my 'middle finger up' to all those people who have tried so hard to label me as evil. Among other things."

"Why do you brush off your pain? When you're injured, you brush it off like nothing. Even though you're close to death, you'll brush it off as if it doesn't matter."

"Does that bother you?"

"Yes, it damn well bothers me that you so easily brush off pain and your suffering. It bothers me to no end, and I think at this point into our relationship I deserve a reason. Blythe, I'm your friend, and I think it's obvious I want to be more than that. I want to be able to be here for you, but I can't do that when you so recklessly risk your life and then shut me out when I want to see if you're okay." He got frustrated rather quickly, and it seemed that this was a rather strong subject for him.

I stared at him.

I had known many people in my life. The majority of them were dead, but I had cared for them all in my own way.

These people had always expressed concern for me, but it was always from a distance. I'd never had anyone really confront me, and I suppose that the devout concern and interest Zeke had shown since we met surprised me.

He seemed to genuinely want me to be his friend, or whatever more he wanted us to be. I wasn't stupid, I knew that he had feelings for me, and I him, but despite the fact that he was far from my first, the irrevocable care he treated me with surprised me. It was new to me. And it shocked me that someone like him who hadn't felt nearly as much pain as I'd had to face could want to care so much about a woman who brings death and destruction at every turn. That he could want to be around me for the sole purpose of knowing things about me, not so that he could use those things against me, but so he could know who I am as a person. And I had ignored that genuine interest in me because I didn't want to be where I am now, staring at him with the realization that he could quite possibly be the only man who had ever shown me that he could be around me for that reason of just being there. And he was scared of me, of what I could do to him, but he didn't step away. He got closer, because he wanted to figure out the enigma that was Blythe Hayes, consequences be damned.

And goddamn it, I was baffled by him.

"Hell, Blythe. It scares me. It scares me when I see you beat up, or when I see something like what I saw on my way over here, because I don't like seeing you this way. Ever. It doesn't sit right. And maybe that's not normal, but I can't sit here and watch you brush off the fact that you keep almost dying. It bothers me to no end. I don't want to see you hurt."

"In our world, that's not really an option, Zeke."

"I know," he said in frustration. "Which is why I hate that I have to care so much, but someone has to, Blythe. And it's moments like these where I wonder if you actually do."

"Of course I care, Zeke. It bothers me when I injure myself - I don't like being fatally wounded, or having to fight for my life at every turn. But I find it easier to brush it off as nothing outwardly because that's who I am. I don't have time to let people worry over me when I know that the closest I've ever been to death will always top whatever I'm dealing with. Having people concerned about me just means I have more expectations that I don't know if I can meet at times."

Zeke sat in silence for a few moments, studying me. "All I expect from you is for you to not shut me out when you feel like moping, Blythe."

"You were gone," I scoffed. "Off doing your thing. What was I supposed to do? Call you up and say, 'hey, I was just attacked and I need you to stop whatever to come and fuss over me'?"

"Yes!"

"Why? It's not your problem who decides to kill me when I'm trying to be normal for a day, Zeke. It shouldn't be your problem."

"Maybe I want it to be," he snapped, fed up with the conversation. "Maybe, for once, I finally care enough to want to be something to someone other than a young man whose life fell apart after his father died. Someone other than the guy who drowns himself in his work because he has no other purpose anymore because no one gives a damn. Maybe I saw a girl who was in need of a friend on a dingy sidewalk in the shittiest town on the shittiest street, and I decided that I needed to be that friend not only for her but for myself. Because no one deserves to be alone, Blythe. No matter what you've done."

His nostrils were flared and he glared at me with such ferocity that I felt myself shrink back slightly.

"And dammit, I've tried so hard to make it as obvious as I can that I'm here, but you're so goddamn blind that you keep missing it.  I'm here Blythe. And if you don't want me to be, you need to tell me now so I can stop attempting to be that person for you."

I stared at him silently, not saying anything.

After a moment, he stood up, and walked to the door. "There's food on the counter. I figured you hadn't eaten when I saw the abandoned groceries. Thought it would be smart to get you something."

I didn't reply. I was too busy staring at his retreating figure and trying to process the situation.

I knew that if he left, he wouldn't come back. And for a very strange reason, that bothered me.

Let him go. It will be one less person to lose in the grand scheme of things.

I should. I should let him go. It would be so easy for both of us if I did. It would be the selfless thing to do. There would be less chance of me hurting him if I did. Because I wouldn't have admitted it in that moment, but I was already in too deep with my feelings for him. It was too dangerous.

I heard the front door open and slam shut. It spurred me into action, and I leapt out of bed. I ignored the fact that I was only in shorts and a tank top as I flew through the hall and outside, where Zeke was approaching his car, his movements slow and reluctant, as if he couldn't bring himself to want to leave.

Screw it. I was tired of being selfless.

"Zeke!"

He stopped in his tracks turned around to look at me. I saw a hopelessness in his eyes that made me want to curl up and cry, because dammit, I didn't want him to feel that way because of me. Ever.

"That girl on the dingy sidewalk would like you to know that she is ever so grateful you stepped into her life. Even if she almost stabbed your eye out. You changed so much by showing her that kindness, but she's too concerned with not getting attached when she's probably just going to out-live you to let you know that. She's an idiot, and she would like you to know that you're very important to her. And she's sorry."

Zeke didn't reply, choosing instead to stare at me like I stared at him earlier.

Forget being almost a hundred years old, I had the hormones of a sixteen year old girl and I was in a situation that begged me to be dramatic. I was going to laugh at the expense of myself later on, but I didn't care in that moment.

Zeke and I stared each other in the eye - locked in a stare-down while we battled emotions and thoughts in our hormonal turmoil.

He walked closer to me. "I'm half inclined to not forgive her."

"She'd be very upset to hear that. But she'd understand."

"On the other hand," he whispered, stopping so that his shoes barely brushed the tips of my toes, "I feel inclined to forgive her because she's beautiful and manages to make me feel like an actual person."

His hand reached out hesitantly, before tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I resisted the urge to lean into his hand as it cupped my cheek.

"So you're going to forgive her because she looks good and is easy going? I dunno if that's the smartest reason to go off of."

He smirked slightly. "Would you like me to say that she drives me insane and that the prospect of not being around her is impossible to dream about?"

"I feel like that's the more ideal approach, yes." I smiled slightly. "But is that worth the possibility of her dragging you into a world where you might not survive?"

"As long as she's with me? She could take a dagger straight through my heart and I would still die contented."

"That sounds rather risky."

"What would life be, without a risk or two?"

"Damn well boring, that's for sure."

He chuckled softly - a low rumble that I felt in my chest as butterflies became birds deciding to suddenly take flight. "Exactly."

His hand caressed my cheek, his palm and fingers calloused but warm against my skin. It pained me to think that his hands were so calloused at nineteen, from holding weapons and fighting for his life, when he should be catching and throwing balls with his father or friend, grinning and laughing at inside jokes. I should have been a sixteen year old girl who had friends her age to laugh, joke, and ogle boys with, instead of being the loner with few friends, an instinct to kill, and a body that betrayed little about my true age.

Standing in that moment, I realized that we were both broken in our own way - different beyond the realm of possibility and suffering because of a world that decided to strip us of innocence before we truly deserved it. Which sucked.

"Hey, Blythe?"

"Hmm?" I murmured, still half distracted by my revelation.

"You look really pretty right now." He smiled dorkily. "Which is probably why I'm so easy to forgive you right now."

I smiled softly. "Well, as long as you forgive me, I'll ignore the fact that you're probably lying because my face looks like crap right now."

"It's hard to stay angry. And even with a black eye and bruises marring your face, you look absolutely gorgeous."

I looked at him, not saying anything.

He shrugged. Silence fell for a moment.

"Blythe?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you kill me if I kissed you?"

I smiled - a full on smile - and my arms snaked around his neck. "I think I'd be too busy kissing back to even bother."

He grinned - a full, megawatt, heart-stopping grin that quite possibly made me feel like I was a giddy school girl who just landed herself the perfect boyfriend.

And then his chapped lips met mine, and the anger I knew he harboured and the fear I felt of finally letting someone in melted away.

It was bliss. And for once, I wasn't going to push away because of a stupid fear of losing him. If it were going to happen, it would happen. I couldn't stop that.

And I think that was the moment that we realized that our feelings for each other were much, much more than stupid, hormonal crushes.

~~~

sammy8300 Final word count: 8,925.