She wants to feel it too, and the curiosity is titillating her stomach as his lips become within inch reach.

But it all drops when movements behind catch her eyes, right before she can solve this mystery.

Nate has just closed his eyes, expecting the sweet taste he's always craving, but he only feels a bland emptiness, and a sour taste invades quickly his mouth as he reopens his eyelids. 

His blood turns to ice in front of Anastasia's frozen stare,  and although he turns around in less than a second in the direction of her squinting frown, it's still enough for the worst scenarios to flash before his eyes.

"Do you think he saw us?" he breathes out, breathless at the eventuality, yet also just a little relieved because he's been expecting much worse than an elderly man passing by.

Nonetheless, he knows that one single word is enough for a life sentence.

"I don't think so," she replies calmly, almost too calmly.

"You're sure?" He glances back at the old man continuing on his way, apparently more preoccupied with the loaded wheelbarrow he is pushing with difficulty.

"And there was nothing to see..." The sheepish wince and unconvinced look in her eyes don't resemble the assured lawyer she can be, and he returns the same skepticism under a lifted eyebrow.

They're both aware that even though it has been nothing in comparison to some things they have done before – no later than yesterday – it has been far from nothing, and it could have been so much more if they hadn't stopped. Moreover, from outside, it must have looked like a real kiss, and the car parked in a quiet corner at nightfall is not helping their innocent plea.

"I don't think he would tell on us anyway," she adds with a tone much less wavering, and he can almost glimpse all the arguments wheeling inside her head as she purses her lips. "I know him. He's a neighbor... He lost his wife a few weeks ago, and apparently, he isn't doing really good since then."

Her eyebrows are still creasing in a bothered frown for all that, and a new line is appearing as her gaze trails to the old man again. Nate follows her gaze, just a little bit farther away than before as the elderly man is still struggling with his wheelbarrow on the slope of his driveway.

"We should–"

"Help him?" he finishes, looking back at her, and when their eyes meet, there is no hesitation; they both nod before quickly getting out of the car.

She instantly notices in a shiver the contrast with the heated air of the car, and the night seems to have fallen faster than expected since their departure from the headquarters. Though she is too busy rushing to the old man and calling his attention to give it a second thought.

"Mr. Carter!" 

The white-haired man lifts up his head, exposing his wrinkled and weary features. "Oh, Anastasia? Hi."

Her breath is caught by the look in his eyes. She hasn't seen him since he has lost his wife, and even if his shaky hands and skinnier appearance are already shocking, the absence of light, of life, in his dark eyes is the most heart-rending.

"Let us help you. This isn't careful to carry so much in your state!"

"I don't care about my state. I'm only waiting to join my Elena, and in the meantime, I will take care of our roses." The unwavering – unlike his hands – tone of his voice leaves no arguments, yet Anastasia is not one to back down, especially when her heart is breaking at his words.

Her logical arguments are already on the tip of her tongue when Nathaniel beats her to it.

"Now that we're here, let us at least help you today?" He does it so smoothly, with a small easy smile, and she can only gaze at him in a mix of awe and disbelief.

She wouldn't have found a better argument. He has a way to convince people without using reason or strength, just his warm voice, his smile, and that sweetness that warms up her chest.

"Okay... thank, um?"

"Nate."

Nathaniel extends his hand to grab the wheelbarrow, and she shakes out of the trance he has put her in again.

"Ah, oui. Mr. Carter, this is Natha– Nate."

"Alex, I've already told you to call me Alex. I'm already old enough!" Mr. Carter, well Alex, corrects, grabbing a flowerpot with a rose bush and accepting to leave the rest to Nathaniel, while Anastasia, to her dismay, remains empty-handed.

"You've got aphids?" Nathaniel asks, nodding to the cut branches in the wheelbarrow as they quickly arrive at the garden shed.

"Yeah, I tried every insecticide, but it doesn't work. I don't really have a green thumb. It was my wife who took care of the flowers..." 

The simple and almost casual words are piling up in a lump inside Anastasia's throat, and it becomes impossible to swallow them when she averts her gaze from the old man sighing with too many emotions at the bush in his hands, and she indeed notices that the roses bordering the alley are less verdant and lush than the last time she has gone there.

"Try coffee grounds. It's miraculous, I swear," Nathaniel once again nicely suggests and lightens the mood. At least, for Anastasia, it is like a ray of sunlight in her chest.

"I'll try, thank you. You can leave the wheelbarrow there." Alex points to the corner of the garden shed, while Anastasia, still empty-handed, waits by the door, letting her gaze trail around the garden and mechanical tools she wouldn't be able to name and that she wouldn't have pictured perfectly mixed and organized together in the small space, though her eyes quickly end up on Nathaniel and his careful movements.

"Now let me give you a drink to thank you, kids!" Alex pulls her out of her contemplation once again, and her gaze travels between Nathaniel and the old man, who is still holding the same rose bush.

"Oh, no, thanks, but Nathaniel already kindly offered to drive me home. I don't want to get him late." 

"Oh, come on! Five minutes to brighten the day of an old man!" Alex is already opening his door, inviting them inside.

"I've got time, don't worry. Five minutes won't hurt." Nate smiles, glancing sideways at Anastasia and gesturing for her to go in as he follows close behind.

This old man has just offered him an excuse to spend more time with his angel; he won't deny it.

"Coffee? Beer? Soda?" Alex suggests as they enter the kitchen.

Surprisingly, the place is quite modern and well ordered, neatly organized in a mix of blue and gray associated with a few red items perfectly matching. Yet there is an empty feeling emanating from it, even with the three of them inside, and Nate can't really place it as he watches Alex nodding at them to sit down and opening his cupboards.

He tries to shake it off, instinctively turning to Anastasia to wait for her to answer first, but also because her soft eyes can always erase the blurriest and darkest clouds.

"Um, water please."

Here, just her simple answer makes Nate smile.  He could have guessed it. It's so like her: serious and reasonable – at least, she is most of the time, even if the marks on his neck are proving the contrary – and he remembers she isn't keen on the bitter taste of coffee and alcohol.

"And you?" The old man brings him out of his thoughts with a knowing smirk like he's just found out something that Nate has no idea about, and it sets off another and different uneasy feeling in his stomach.

"Um... a beer, please." He hopes the drink will fill his stomach and maybe stop his spinning thoughts as he straightens up on his seat.

"So, Anastasia, how are you doing? Still studying to become a lawyer?" Alex pours her a glass of sparkling water and sets two beers on the table.

She hasn't even grabbed her glass that it is all the questions about her future she has to swallow. "Fine. Yes, I'm trying..."

"You will." Nathaniel's gaze dives in hers with a shining assurance. "There's no doubt you will be an amazing lawyer one day."

Her heart flutters at his words and the sincerity dripping from his chocolate brown eyes. The softness there always manages to make her float on a high cloud, where all her dreams are possible and her worries can't reach her.

"I'm glad that you've found a great guy to support and love you."

She falls abruptly from her little cloud back to reality, her heart following the same drop upon Alex's casual comment, and while both Nathaniel and she snap their heads toward the old man, Alex's smile stays unwavering in front of their wide-eyed, shocked faces.

"N-No, no... Nathaniel is married and I... I'm getting married really soon... to someone else," she clarifies, though the blood rushing to her face and her panicked words are far from a convincing plea.

Is it written all over their faces what they have done?

It might be a simple misunderstanding, an innocent comment, but the light words are sinking too deep inside.

"I'm not talking about this match-making bullshit!" Alex shrugs, taking a sip from his beer, and it isn't the faint alcohol of his drink making his dark eyes twinkle as he continues, "I'm talking about love... attraction..." 

"We're... we're just friends." Nate finally finds back his voice; he must have choked on it at Alex's unexpected comment.

He could claim this as the raving of an old man losing his head, yet it's clear that this man still has all of his marbles, and the skeptical look in his eyes tells him he knows better.

"You, you chose your wife? I mean, you married before the Marriage Matchmaker?" Anastasia tries to divert the conversation.

The convinced tone of Nathaniel as he has pronounced the words 'just friends' is still echoing in her ears. She has thought they have agreed they couldn't be 'just friends', though they don't know what they are, and this is not the place to discuss this. 

He probably has said this to hide everything that has happened between them, yet the words feel bitter in her stomach, as bitter as the word 'married' in her mouth.

She pushes it away, focusing on the old man across from them, as his terms 'love' and 'attraction' and the way he has said them like some kind of magic formula or hidden secret are also lingering inside, arising something else in her stomach: curiosity.

"Yeah, a few months before they created the World Nations and this bullshit decree..." His gaze travels faraway and a nostalgic smile illuminates his weary features. "I don't know if I can say I chose her, it's just the heart... We met in high school and it was impossible to resist the law of attraction between our hearts... We would've never been matched otherwise. We had 70% of compatibility or something like that... We were different, but kinda the same... complementary... soulmates... And we've been happy every moment. So you see, this Matchmaker application doesn't mean anything."

Her heart swells and constricts on this story, and even more as memories of seeing them together, shining with happiness, flash back in her mind. If true love has a real meaning, it has been undoubtedly what they have had, and they have been some of the few lucky ones.

Yet the Marriage Matchmaker has been established for a reason?

"That's what they make you believe!"

She jumps at the sound of this answer, which clearly doesn't come from her brain or her heart, as both have stopped for a second, and when her wide eyes find Alex's lifted eyebrow, she realizes she has spoken her question out loud. 

She hasn't wanted to upset the grieving old man, but the question must have been resonating too loud in her mind, and with the blurriness, the tiredness, and everything colliding there, her basic instinct to always comprehend everything has taken over. There are more and more things she can't understand, and one of them is that maybe the question hasn't come from her rational brain; she can't grasp from where this unsettling sensation is coming from, yet it is wrapping around her every cell.

"What... what do you mean? This law is based on scientific facts, that's how it got established, right? And... and it was proven effective." Even though her frown might be pronounced, and her fingers clutching her scale pendant, she has never been so unsure when laying an argument in favor of the law, and she doesn't even know if she is expecting answers from Alex or from herself.

"Listen, I'm a man of science, but science can't explain love. This law is just taking away everyone's freedom to love."

"But isn't it for everyone's safety and well-being they made it? Because before there was so much trouble and–"

"Trouble?" Alex cuts her off with a low chuckle. "Heartbreaks, cheatings, and some jealousy, do you really think this law prevents it?"

This is clearly a rhetorical question, as, under his gray cocked eyebrow, his piercing gaze has already caught the answer.

"That was just some shitty excuse from a tyrant who's got cheated on and heartbroken, and who then gathered bitter and hurt people with this 'scientific' speech." He mimes the quotations marks with his twisted fingers, and while with each word, more amount of blood has left her head to travel to her stomach, it is on this last one that she feels the burn.

"That's not... that's not... how it started...?"

"Do you know how?" he asks flatly. 

Once again, he appears totally unfazed, yet at the same time, determined to open their eyes, and through her studies, she may have already met a lot of intransigent lawyers, but never has she crossed such an unwavering belief in their gazes. 

The old man is making her lose all her arguments as she just shakes her head no, and not even Nathaniel's strong facade makes him blink, as it is Nathaniel who humbly gazes down.

"That's what I heard!" Alex puts his hands up. "The man hid it well, so no one really knows! All I know is that after, with some brainwashing, censorship and an army of he-men who use strong-arm tactic, it imposed as the only model relationship."

Anastasia glances at Nathaniel and his strong arms. Alex clearly has no idea that he is a soldier, a captain, and she is about to speak up, her voice and arguments coming back for this defense when Nathaniel makes her shut up with one pointed look. 

She has to bite on her lip to keep from standing up for him. The old man hasn't meant it personally, yet she remembers too well Nathaniel's words about how he doesn't feel like a hero, while she knows he is a hero, and even so much more; he has a beautiful heart under his muscles.

"I guess it's also easier for the governments to control people when they don't listen to their hearts, so it's carried on by the successors," Alex continues with a shrug, unaware or at least, pretending to be, of their sideways stolen stares. "Don't tell me you've never questioned this law?" 

The silence may be the most eloquent answer.

Anastasia has indeed. Once or twice, during some restless nights, she has wondered the point of the decree and how things could have been with a few 'ifs': If Nathaniel wasn't married and she wasn't engaged? If the man didn't have the upper hand in decisions in the couple? If there was no Matchmaker Marriage? The 49% popping in her mind again and again, like they are right now.

"And how was it before?" 

Nate's head jerks toward Anastasia upon her simple question that almost makes him jump, although her voice is barely audible, and at first, in the silence following, he even believes Alex hasn't heard her until the old man gets up from his chair.

He shuffles some things behind his fridge, and the creaking of the furniture is the only sound as none of them dare to speak up or offer their help. Nate's gaze slides back to Anastasia, who is already looking at him too, and for a second, they are both questioning what the old man is doing as much as what they are doing here.

'Law of Attraction', that's the answer Alex is giving them as he puts two books with no cover in front of each of them, and the three hand-written words are the only things standing out on the spine of the beige, immaculate books.

"What is it?" Anastasia frowns again, obviously not enjoying being confused with too many questions.

"It will show you how it was before, and what love can be," Alex explains simply, as if he wasn't talking about something illegal and severely punished.

Though Nate doesn't feel well placed to judge.

"It's Elena who wrote it." The old man smiles proudly, yet so sadly.

"But it's..."

"Forbidden? Yeah, it is. We never really were ones to follow the law blindly." Alex's smile turns into a knowing smirk, and there, at the corner of his lips, it's easy to still catch a glimpse of the reckless and dangerous aura he must have had in his young years. "I trust you two to keep it hidden preciously."

"Were you... were you rebels?"

Nate is once again amazed by Anastasia. While he keeps quiet, fighting inside too many doubts, she keeps questioning everything, trying to find a rational answer to all of this.

"Yes, sometimes you have to fight for what feels right to your heart. So we were in the beginning."

"What happened?"

Alex chuckles under his breath, and Nate doesn't know if it's bitter, sad, or just amusement at her questions. "We weren't enough. Some of us got killed, and that's just when Elena found out she was pregnant... We couldn't risk it anymore, we had another life to protect."

He must be noticing their sorry expression because he adds, "But we never regretted one second of it. We had the luck to live an incredibly happy life together. I just wish everyone could have this luck..." 

Is this really luck? So many questions are arising in Nate's mind, yet as he averts his gaze from Alex's intent look, and it falls on his thin, trembling hands, it's this one that is the loudest.

Seeing this old man in front of them, hollow and giving up life after losing his wife, he wonders what is really great about love. Yet when his eyes catch the word 'fire' peeking out from under the man's left sleeve, it brings him back to the moment Alex has spoken about his late beloved wife and their love story, and how his eyes have lit up with so much life and emotions, illuminating the whole room. From the glimpse he's got, Nate guesses the happiness has been as intense as his pain is now, love exacerbating all the emotions.

Like this house, maybe it feels empty and sorrowful because it has been the witness of so much love and joy that nothing can equal. So if love is such an intense feeling, a tremendous fire that burns everything to ashes, is it really worth it?

Nate can't fathom the idea of dying and being unable to live without someone. He knows the grief and pain of losing someone close, but to this point?

His gaze falls back on Anastasia, and for a micro-second, a flash of their first encounter stops his heart.

"Um, we should get going." She clears her throat, stopping his lost thoughts before he can come to any realization.

The tornado Anastasia is already getting up quickly, while Nate's thoughts, and maybe more, are still spinning. Though as she tugs a strand of her tied-up hair behind her ear and averts her gaze down, he catches sight of her glossy eyes, and all the emotions swirling behind.

For another micro-second, the urge to wrap her in his arms almost takes over, as he knows it wouldn't be Alex who would denounce them; it might even be the echo of his words moving Nate's feet in Anastasia's direction.

Yet her tensed smile as she lifts her head, while still avoiding everyone's gaze to blink away her tears, stops him at the appropriate distance of one foot away.

"Thank you." 

She never cries in front of people; the only exception has been Nathaniel, but she won't let it reiterate. He seems to be her exception for a lot of things... Maybe that's why her emotions are threatening to overflow past her facade, or maybe everything Alex has said is too much for her already over-confused brain, or maybe their story is just too moving?

Anyway, she has the need to flee from this 'too much' like a survival instinct.

"No, thanks to you, kids, for helping me and giving me some company."

"You're welcome. It was a nice moment." Nate finds back his polite manners, although his smile is sincere, and it's almost reluctantly that he walks out of the hollow-emanating kitchen, knowing where he'll be heading too soon: home.

From the dimness of the hallway, they might have stayed here more than five minutes, but isn't the first time he escapes time when Anastasia is around; today, they might even have traveled through it, he realizes as his eyes fall on the many photos hung around the walls. He hasn't noticed them on his way in – surely because his eyes are always glued to Anastasia – and now, although it's darker around, he can catch the special spark emanating from all these family pictures, the same as in Alex's eyes when he's reminisced the memories.

"When do you need us to give you back the books?" Anastasia stops right in front of a picture of two young people on a motorcycle, whom it isn't complicated to guess who they are, and when she turns back to Alex, clutching the plain book in her hands like she's been doing it minutes ago with her scale pendant, Nate wonders if she's seen their shining smiles too.

"Keep it! I have plenty, and they will be more useful to you, I hope."

"Don't forget the coffee grounds." Nate changes the subject, trying to ease the weight of Alex's intent and hinting looks, as well as all his words still lingering and pressing on his chest, and he can sense also on Anastasia's ribcage, just seeing the way her shoulders are sagging and she's bringing the book to her chest.

Though she still straightens up with a smile to insist smoothly, "And if you need help with the gardening, don't hesitate to ask next time." 

"Yeah, yeah..." Alex nods, already focusing on something else, and as Anastasia is passing the door, he pulls Nate back by the arm.

"Don't let her slip through your fingers. You would regret it." It's just a rushed whisper, yet each word is more than clear.

The seriousness in the man's eyes definitely confirms him that he has all his head, and Nate feels like the one losing it. The thought has already crossed his mind every time Anastasia has disappeared before his eyes, but he has no answer. How can he not let her slip through his fingers when he shouldn't even hold her hand?

He doesn't have time to reply as Anastasia is glancing back at them, and it's surely for the best because Nate is already struggling to swallow everything as he joins her, quickly escaping Alex. Though his words will chase him for long; he already senses it.

"See you soon!" Anastasia waves, but Alex doesn't reply. He just waves back with a knowing smile like he is sure of something, and it is only setting more the unease in her chest.

The brief ride home is silent. Too many harsh words have been said, particularly a small four-letter one echoing louder through their bones and in the strain between Anastasia and Nate.

I bet you weren't expecting to see Alex here! 😉

Please my Alexena's shippers don't hate me!! 😬😭 Remember that they are really old now in the year 2095 and like Alex said: they had a beautiful and happy life ❤ I wanted to have someone show Anastasia and Nate what true love can be, and who better than Alex and Elena? 

Even though I gotta admit that writing this chapter brought me some tears 😭💔

I also wanted to do a reference to Law Of Attraction because this was my first book, my first love which introduced me to my passion, to this beautiful community, and to so many beautiful people ❤ So this chapter is dedicated to all my LOA's readers 😘

I hope you liked this chapter, if so, vote and let me know in the comments what you think this encounter will change for Nate and Anastasia? 😉