Cara walked into one of the green houses for the first time since she had said goodbye to Lex. She closed her eyes, breathing in the earthy smells of soil and ground vegetables. She couldn't help but miss the familiar scents that she seemed to abandon so long ago. She stood there for a bit, relishing in the scents.

"Cara," came the soft, surprised voice. She opened her eyes to see Lex's attention turned towards her. She sent him a small smile, stepping further into the greenhouse.

"I see they still haven't chosen someone to fill in my spot," she conversed, her eyes scanning over the plants that were growing. Most were a vivid green, thriving under the caring touch of Lex.

"Not yet," he responded, standing up as he removed his dirt stained gloves. "What brings you here?"

"I can't visit my favorite gardener?" she teased, watching as a light blush tinted his cheeks. He tucked the gloves into his back pocket, making sure to keep from meeting her eyes as he surveyed his work.

"Of course you can, but I have a feeling that's not the reason you're here." Cara nodded, looking down at her fingers which suddenly found interest in one another.

"I need to talk to you about something. Something no one knows," she admitted quietly, peeking up to see his eyes turning kind and understanding.

"You don't have to if you don't feel comfortable about it," he murmured, grabbing her arm gently and giving it a squeeze. She sent him a quickly grin, keeping her head down as she second guessed herself for a moment.

"No, I want to talk to you about it. It's something... that I just can't keep to myself anymore. I need to share what's going on, and I need to get advice from them. You're someone I trust to talk to about this." Lex's eyes lit up in happiness, though it went unnoticed by the female in front of him. He unconsciously rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment at her sudden confession.

"Of course, you can trust me with anything you say," he reassured, lightly touching the small of her back so he could guide her to a raised potter to sit down on. "What's been bothering you?" She stayed quiet for a bit, prepping herself for the conversation she was about to have.

"Before I came to Ryseden, I had a companion," she started off, taking in a deep breath. Lex grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers with hers to provide support. She looked at him gratefully, not seeing it anything past him being a supportive friend. "We were really close. It was their goal to get us here. Right before we arrived, Alex was shot." Cara paused, trying to collect herself before she fell apart. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, shakiness following with it.

"Cara, if this is too painful, you don't need to continue to tell me. I'm sorry for your loss," Lex tried, only getting a shake of the head from Cara.

"I'm not done, there's more to it. What I need help on, I haven't even gotten to yet." Lex kept his mouth closed, looking down at their joined hands. He gave it a light squeeze. "Recently, I found out that Alex is still alive. He doesn't remember anything of when we were together." Cara took another pause, trying to swallow around the ball in her throat. She tilted her head back, attempting to fend out the tears that burned her eyes.

"How close were you two?" Lex asked, his voice coming out slightly more hoarse than normal. This drew Cara's attention to his face, but nothing seemed out of place.

"Intimately close," she alluded, looking down at their conjoined hands. A feeling of betrayal washed over her, and she slowly pulled her hand out from his.

"I just..." she trailed off, trying to find the right words to match how she was feeling. "I'm just worried he'll never be himself again, y'know? As he is now, I'm scared one of these times I'll be shot. He's unstable, but god, I can't help but hope he'll come back."

"Are you willing to risk your life for a man you don't recognize anymore?" Lex asked, his question seeming to come off harsh and demanding. Cara met his eyes, surprised to find them full of pain.

"That's what I came here for," she lowered her tone, her voice coming out barely a whisper. "Is what I had with him worth saving or letting go? I can never be sure how to feel when it comes to Alex anymore." Cara jolted a bit, her eyes widening as two hands cupped her cheeks. She was turned slowly towards Lex, a feeling of slight uncomfortableness rising in her stomach.

"Why risk for such a dangerous bet, when you have a safe one in front of you," came his soft words. Cara shook her head, wariness taking over quicker than expected.

"I don't understand what y-" she was cut off as Lex brought her forward, brushing his lips against hers in a airy, sweet kiss. Cara instantly grabbed his imprisoning wrists, pulling them away so she could escape. His eyes held regret as he took in the expression on her face.

"Cara, I'm sorry, I-" she stopped him this time, standing abruptly from their seating. She couldn't even dream of hiding the discomfort that filled her face.

"I got to go," she lied, speeding off for the front door. He didn't bother calling after her, knowing he had gone too far in his actions. As she opened the door, she wiped at her mouth, hoping to get the feeling of his lips off of hers.

I think that alone gave me the answer to my problem. She thought bitterly as she contemplated sticking her entire face into a bank of snow. She growled out her discomfort as her eyes searched the sky for relief.

Why did you have to leave me, Alex?