Icarus

Unsaid

Cassie frowned. "You didn't?"

"No."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No...we're not there yet...that you should know everything about my past."

Cassie was hurt by his remark, but instead, probably because she was so tired and still in mild shock, she began laughing and threw a throw pillow from the couch at him.

"Sometimes I wonder just how pretentious a person can be...then, I look at you," Cassie teased.

"Okay...now the kettle is calling the pot black...you're just as bad but you won't admit it!" Tate replied, hugging the throw pillow while resting his chin on it.

Cassie swooned at how extremely adorable he looked before saying, "Come on, don't tell me you don't feel superior to all humans and even me?"

"I do...not to brag but because I am...anyway, most of the time."

"See? there it is- I'd love to have a longer discussion about who is more pretentious here but we've got a major problem to solve. A ginger, blue eyed problem that goes with the name of Mac."

Cassie's smile quickly faded away as sadness conquered every inch of her once proud, strong, and determined face.

"I tried...I really did...I almost was able to, but..."

Tate stared at Cassie and it bothered him just how upset she was with herself.

"Hey," he said, placing his hand on her cheek again, "don't worry, I'll handle it."

"What...you can't...there's nothing you can do."

"Yes I can...Mac is my friend or at least we were close, really tight...I'll talk to him."

"Oh yeah, why didn't you tell me that earlier, before I took that terrible risk? Who knows what will happen now if the Aesterdis had been changed in any way?"

"You were too busy pretending to be the Wonder Woman heroine who would save the day."

"My apologies."

"We'll get through this, but next time please don't be so stubborn."

Cassie bristled.

"Don't tell me what to do."

After a few seconds of silence Cassie added, "Who do you think changed the Aesterdis... and why?"

"Honestly, I have no idea."

"Should I talk to Piero?"

"Then he'll know you went there."

"So...we'll just...not say anything about it?"

"For now...no, we won't." He stood up. "You need some sleep...we'll talk about it more tomorrow."

Tate started walking towards the door, thinking Cassie would open it, wanting him to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?" she said.

That question took him by surprise. He shrugged and put his hands on his pockets.

"Home?"

"But it's late, and it's dark...and cold outside."

Tate narrowed his eyes at her. Cassie was the most fascinating and extraordinary person he'd ever met, and yet she looked lonely. He remembered she'd been trained by a Guardian her whole life, didn't go to school, and probably wasn't allowed to have friends growing up.

Still, he couldn't believe she might actually need him. In reality, though, it was just that she needed him as much he needed her. There she was, sitting on a little white couch, holding a pillow, expecting his answer. The blond waves of her long hair waterfalled down her shoulders, her eyes glaring back at him with a mixture of distress and desire.