Both Lucas and Leila turned their heads towards the direction where they heard voice. Their eyes were fixed on Aaron who appeared from the dark, holding a stack of papers.

"I repeat what is going on."

Leila averted her eyes. She glanced over at Lucas's watch and bit her lips. The watch had already stopped working.

"What are you doing here? Causing trouble? I remember no one is allowed here."

Lucas raised his eyebrows as he listened to him.

"What are you doing here then?"

Aaron laughed and shook his head in disappointment, "I'm pretty sure you remember that I have access to this room every now and then."

Lucas looked at Leila who turned her head away from him. She was hiding something from him.

Aaron placed his stack of papers on the table nearby and combed his hair backwards using his fingers.

"And I was worriedly thinking what happened to you since you've never made mistakes before," he paused before he continued and glared at Lucas, "You were out here enjoying your time with a man."

"Aaron! I was the one who let him here. He is not at fault."

He smirked and held Leila's chin upwards. "Such a cutie. But you know rules are rules."

He pulled her behind him with his hand and released it. He then swiftly placed his right hand into his coat and pulled out a gun. Within seconds, the gun was pointing at Lucas. The sudden motion caused Lucas to fall onto the ground with his eyes fixed on the gun.

"It's a sad world, isn't it?"

Lucas glared at Aaron but didn't move from his spot. He knew that Aaron was capable of pulling the trigger anytime. He looked across Aaron's shoulder to find Leila and he knew this was the barrier between them.

"Shoot me."

Both Aaron and Leila were shocked by his statement. "Are you crazy?" Leila exclaimed.

"I'd rather die than be a pathetic loser who couldn't claim his love."

Aaron laughed at his words, "Did you think I wouldn't?" He pulled his trigger and the gun shot was sounded across the room.

Lucas closed his eyes upon the sound but he was not shot. He slowly opened his eyes and gasped as he saw Leila standing in front of him while grabbing the gun. Her hands were dripped in blood. She pulled it and pointed it towards her forehead.

"Shoot me if you want to shoot him. For I'll protect him with my life."

All of a sudden, lightning strikes across the sky. Raindrops started to fall on its own without anyone's demand.

"Why are you willing to risk your life for a mere Guardian?!" Aaron raised his tone, with a hint of anger in his voice.

Leila did not speak or move. She was serious with her words and actions. She looked straight into Aaron's eyes and moved in closer.

"You know I'm willing to protect anyone from making another mistake."

Aaron clicked his tongue and glanced at the door behind them.

"Move!" he growled at her but she firmly gripped onto the gun, making it impossible for him to pull away the gun.

"You can't do anything with just one arm, Aaron."

"Really?" He smirked and released the gun. He swiftly rushed past her and punched Lucas in the face. Then, he pulled him in a headlock, gripping it as tight as possible with his one hand.

"Aaron! Enough is enough."

He continued gripping, making Lucas choke.

He was too fast and too strong. Lucas had never faced anyone like him before.

"Is this the best you've got? I'm disappointed," Aaron mocked him.

Leila did not know what to do and stood frozen at her spot. She clenched her teeth as she watched Lucas suffer in pain.

Soon, Lucas was gasping for air as his neck felt numb.

Leila ran towards Aaron and tried to pull his arms away. "Aaron, please," she begged desperately. However, Aaron did not flinch at all. He even pulled it even tighter, causing Lucas to cough out blood.

Shocked by the sight, Leila's heart clenched tightly. Tears rolled down from her eyes continuously. She kneeled down and gripped onto Aaron's knees. Lucas felt pathetic as he couldn't do anything against Aaron whose strength was extremely strong.

Suddenly, Aaron felt her grip loosened and looked down at her. She was clenching her chest and biting her lips. Beads of sweat rolled down her face and she was desperately trying not to lose her consciousness.

Aaron quickly threw Lucas away and knelt down. Her eyes became weary and she reached her hand out in the air, feeling for something to hold.

She turned to look at Lucas who was struggling to get up. She was not in the position to choose. She felt like several knives were piercing through her heart and only Aaron knew about the situation. She called out Aaron's name sternly as if she was ordering him.

Aaron immediately responded to her as if he was meant to. Lucas had never seen Aaron this obedient before. Once again, Aaron glanced at the door and threw his gun at it which closed the door shut.

Aaron held her hand to make her feel safe. "I'm here," he whispered in her ear as she placed her head on his shoulder. He could feel her warm breath against his neck, slowly losing pace and soon she fainted on him. He lifted her in a bridal style.

Lucas watched as Aaron walked away. He stopped and turned back at him.

"You better not appear before her again," he gritted his teeth and walked out of the room.

Lucas couldn't think of anything and sat at the corner of the dark office. He punched the wall, feeling pathetic. He hated that he couldn't do anything.

The images of Leila fainting and reaching out for Aaron and then being carried away haunted him like nightmare. He covered his eyes with his palm as tears rolled down. He was angry at himself for being useless. He knew Aaron was a wall that he couldn't overcome. He was the direct opposite of him. Aaron knew everything while he did not.

Compared to Aaron, he was nothing but just a stranger to her.

••••••••••••••••••<>••••••••••••••••••

Leila laid flat on her bed after the incident. She had finally woken up after passing out for three straight days. She poured the pills out of her hand and stared at the space blankly.

"What are you doing?"

She tilted her head downwards against the end of the bed to look at Aaron and laughed.

"Laying on the bed like a wingless angel I am?"

"Is that supposed to be a joke or to mock me?"

"Both maybe?" Leila answered with a smug. However, her expression soon fell and she sat up with her back facing Aaron, "Did he saw?"

"Only till you fainted," Aaron spoke as he touched the back of Leila. She felt the warmth on her back as his fingers traced down.

"You went too far, today."

Aaron shook his head and stared at her pale skin. He sighed, "But if I didn't come, both of you would have gotten into trouble. Pierre was there. You know how he had been suspicious of me."

Leila froze at her spot. Pierre, the Head like Aaron who was in charge of the living and the death. He had nothing to do with the weather so he shouldn't be there.

"He didn't learn anything, right?"

'No' was the reply what she got. But that was not what she was worried about. She gripped onto the bed sheet and bit her lips. Aaron knew exactly what she was thinking.

"He did not see him so don't worry."

She finally sighed in relief when she heard that. However, it did not mean that it was safe enough to forget about it. She still needed to figure out why Pierre was there.

"Just forget Lucas, Lei."

"He loves me." She shot back. Aaron was not interested in her love life or anything but he wanted to make sure everything was right and that she would not end up getting hurt.

"Stop being delusional." He paused in between his sentences, wary of hurting her feelings. "It will only tear you apart in the end."

"Aren't I already torn apart because of someone?" she glared at him.

Aaron looked away.

"But the world is never fair," he added.

She knew exactly what he meant. She knew every single word was the truth but she didn't want to hear it. She wanted to escape from the reality.

Leila looked at the mirror with disgust as she saw her reflection. "When will it ever?"

Aaron covered her eyes from the back and whispered in her ear, "Hush, my lady. Everything will be fine."

••••••••••••••••••<>••••••••••••••••••

The scene of previous night flashed through his mind and Lucas threw the glass to the wall in anger. He pulled his hair and placed his head on the table.

"What should I do?"

"Kill."

He raised his head and stared at Jacob who sat across him, confused.

"It's a brutal world. Unfair and Wrong," Jacob emphasized on every word he stated.

"But... isn't it wrong?"

"Of course, it's wrong," He laughed making Lucas even more confused, "But it's a sad world, isn't it?"

Aaron said the same thing as well but Lucas did not get it.

Jacob took a dagger out and played with it. "He threw punches at you," he paused and pointed the dagger at Lucas to get attention, "Throw it back."

He threw the dagger at Lucas who just calmly tilted his head to dodge. The dagger ended up just sifting past him. After watching how Lucas reacted, the corner of Jacob's lips quirked up.

"You still got it in you."

Lucas shook his head and furrowed his eyebrows.

"He's different. He's like a wild beast."

Chills ran down his spine as he recalled Aaron's strength. Jacob gave off a blank expression in response. He was not amused with what he said.

"Do you even love her?"

He looked at Jacob with his eyebrow raised, "Am I supposed to answer that?"

Jacob sat up straight and stared directly at Lucas.

"Let me rephrase that."

"Are you willing to risk everything for her?" he asked him sternly.

That question actually made Lucas think twice about his feelings for Leila. He felt helpless and couldn't answer immediately. It made him mad at himself for not being sure.

Jacob could not help but burst out laughing when he noticed how serious Lucas looked and only stopped when he glared at him. Lucas shouted out of frustration and sighed.

Jacob looked at him and smiled. "Don't worry too much about it. Sometimes, it is answers that come to you."

••••••••••••••••••<>••••••••••••••••••

Lucas kept what Jacob said in mind and had to move on with his life. Every day was the same thing; duty and rest. The only thing different was that Leila was not part of it.

He had not seen Leila at all. Not like he was avoiding her but their paths just never crossed. He actually preferred it that way since he still had yet to find out his answer. However, a part of him still wanted to see her. Actually, his mind was always occupied with thoughts of her.

He tried hard to not think about her which was obviously failing.

••••••••••••••••••<>••••••••••••••••••

Lucas walked around in circle to organize his thoughts but he couldn't find any answer. Out of frustration, he threw a pillow which hit the jacket that was hanging on the wall.

He groaned at the sight. He headed over and brushed off the dust before putting it back at its place. As he hanged it, something fell off from the pocket, a feather.

He knelt down to pick it up and realized that it was from Leila's office. He leaned against the wall and played with it. Memories of the previous kept replaying in his head. The night sky was as beautiful as ever but he couldn't enjoy it. All he could think of was Leila.

He thought about Jacob's question and got up. He placed the feather beside his watch and headed towards his closet. He gripped the handle tightly and sighed deeply. He couldn't do it. He released it and looked at the feather.

"I'm sorry, Leila. I'm not ready."

He felt guilty. He felt that he did not deserve to love Leila. He touched the watch using the feather and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

••••••••••••••••••<>••••••••••••••••••

"For what?"

The sudden voice behind him made him jump. He knew this voice so well and he wanted to hear it again. He was sure it was just his imagination but just in case, he turned around with the last hope he got.

He almost squealed when he realized who was standing there. Leila. She looked so beautiful and all she had to do was just standing there.

In his eyes, she looked so ethereal like an angel. But he didn't deserve it.