Cara found herself wandering the streets of Ryseden. Another free day, another day of boredom. What can I do? I can't go and help out at the gardens. Lex will be there... Maybe I can help out in a shop.

Her head tilted up, staring at the bleak, gray sky. I could... I could go see if Alex is at the spot we last saw each other. She shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts away. He almost shot me! Why would I think it was be okay to go back? Cara sighed heavily, folding her arms over her chest as she continued to walk. Her mind waved back and forth on how she felt about the Alex situation. What if he believes me? What if he remembers?

Before she realized what she was doing, Cara turned on her heels and headed towards the runner's gate. She bit her lip as she thought over her actions. What am I doing?

The guard perked up when Cara came close enough, hopping down from his stand to open the gate for her. She nodded her head in appreciation before speeding through on her way to the store parking lot where they had met last.

~~~

Almost there. She panted internally as she rounded one of the last corners. She slowed her jog to walk as she met the edge of the building. She peeked out around it to see a gray blob sitting on the same curb she sat last. Alex...? She lightened her steps as she crept out from cover, making her way closer. His dark hair became clearer, it turning shaggier with time. It is...!

She made her appearance announced when she stepped purposely loud. Alex whipped his head around, narrowing his eyes at the new arrival. When he realized who it was, he relaxed a bit, but stayed stiffer than normal. She jogged up to him, stopping when they were close enough to converse, but far enough away to keep him comfortable.

"You're here," she breathed out in surprise. He met her eyes briefly before looking back down.

"Yeah, here I am," he murmured out. She squatted to the ground to be at his eye level. Cara wrapped her arms around her legs, hugging them.

"Why did you come back? I thought you couldn't stand me?" she whispered to him. He stayed silent, not giving her a reason. Her head slowly lowered, her forehead colliding with her knees.

"I've been... remembering some things," he phrased carefully after a period of time. Cara perked up, her eyes wide and wild with hope.

"Like what?" she asked in excitement. He paused, looking back at her.

"I remember... being in a tree. You... you were climbing up, and a... a mutant? was right on your heels. I shot it." Her eyes widened.

"Anything else?" She was lucky if she could get her voice above a hoarse whisper.

"You had a nightmare one night, and I helped you go back to sleep," he answered, looking back down at his hands. He twirled them around each other. "That's... that's it."

Things went silent again. Cara kept her eyes on the boy in front of her, watching as he looked like he was mulling over something.

"Hey," he started. It didn't slip passed her that he hadn't called her by her name yet. The name he gave her. Her real name. "Could you... could you tell me more about our past together?" Happiness courses through her veins.

"Yes! Of course! Is it okay if I sit next to you?" she started off excited, but turned tentative. He hesitated before slowly nodding his head. Cara popped up before striding to his side. She sat down with about a foot and a half between them.

"I've told you how we've met. The very next day was the day we got chased up the tree by the Blight... or mutant as you called it. After that, we went to the next town over, and met this girl," she continued on and on, retelling their adventures through her own words. Alex sat and listened, although the looks on his face showed that he didn't recognize the majority of the memories she reminisced in as she talked. He could tell by the way her eyes sparkled and she talked so animatedly that they were fond memories to her. I feel bad that I don't remember any of this. It sounds like it was a fun time.

"And then one time you dragged me into a Halloween store-" Alex's eyes lit up.

"And I hid from you to scare you. You whacked me with a light saber you had picked up. We had a sword fight afterwards, and I surprised you by doing a flip. I pinned you, and-" he broke off, a blush painting his cheeks.

Cara felt her heart swell in excitement.

"That's right! Anything else you remember?" She asked in a rush, leaning forward to grab his hand. He shied away from her, and she froze before retracted her arms slowly. Rejection surged through her body tightening around her chest like a vice. She was quick to look down at the ground, hiding the disappointed look on her face.

"Right... I better go home before they start to wonder where I am at," she excused herself as she stood up.

"Wait, I-" she sent him a watery smile causing him to stop. Regret swam in his eyes. I shouldn't have pulled away. I closed her off again. Things were going well. I just... I just don't think I can handle her touch right now.

"Don't bother. I'm not hurt. I understand. I'm sure the community is honestly worried about me." Lies. All of them are lies.

Since when did you decide it was okay to lie to Alex? A voice sneered in her head.

When I found out he is not my Alex anymore. She murmured back sadly to her internal voice as she turned and left the boy staring off after her.