An Intangible Pattern - Fate Bound.

Closing In

He folded his arms contemplatively and sat back with a slightly amused expression,

"...But we don't feel that way. We can't separate reality from the way we feel about it, it's part of what makes us human and it's also what makes us all hopelessly mad from a purely logical perspective."

"So feelings are just irrational?"

"Maybe. But you probably shouldn't trust someone who claims to be completely logical. The basis of their logic is probably founded on desire and desire is the least rational of all emotions." He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled.

"So basically, we're all fucked?"

"It's built into us, there's not a lot we can do about it."

She shook her head in amusement and took another bite of her sandwich.

Noah's face grew serious as he watched her, "I think the line is where you place it. It doesn't have to be in the same place with everyone and, even then, it can shift any time we need to protect ourselves. The hard part is figuring out where it is in other people. Or in my case, how not to bulldoze across it."

"I think it's deciding where those boundaries should or shouldn't be." Alex murmured.

Noah looked at her intently, "You don't know?"

Alex's gaze slipped out of focus as she reflected, "Some things. Some are easy. I won't let anything hurt the people I care about, especially my sister. Some things are harder."

Noah sighed and set his elbow on the table, resting his head in his hand, "Obviously I don't know you well Alex, but can I make an observation?"

She nodded once and sipped from her coffee mug.

"You don't seem to make decisions based on what you want. You seem to have mistaken having boundaries for being a boundary."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you ignore your own feelings in order to protect someone else."

She lowered her eyes to the table and set her mug down.

"Maybe that's all I want."

"Is that true? You want nothing for yourself?"

She opened her mouth to speak but held her breath.

"Do you even know what you want Alex?" Noah murmured, a hint of sympathy in his voice.

"Are you any different? Did you want to spend your childhood in a lab?" she replied breathlessly.

He placed his hands around his coffee cup and stared into it.

"Huh..." he said with a quiet laugh.

"I guess we both don't know, do we?" She murmured.

He looked up and met her clear and steady eyes. He felt exposed under that penetrating gaze but in it was a mirror, and he saw the same truth in her as she saw in him.

He reached out for her hand and took it gently. He was going to ask if she wanted to figure it out together, but a noise from outside caught his attention. It was the sound of a familiar vehicle pulling up on the road outside.
The engine grumbled to a halt and he heard the doors slam shut. Two voices he recognised as Howell and Yate's, spoke in hushed conspiratorial tones. He stood up and went through to the living room as more vehicles pulled up. Glancing out of his window he saw several police cars. Far more than usual.

He dashed back to the kitchen.

"What's happening?" Alex whispered, alarmed by his suddenly urgent demeanor.

"It's the police. You need to go, you can't get caught here."

"Shit!" She hissed, suddenly on her feet and bolting to the back door.

"Go! Before they see you!"

Alex didn't need to be told twice. She had slipped out the back door before he could whisk away her dishes. He watched her go through the kitchen window as he quickly scrubbed their plates. Their eyes met as she stepped over the stile at the bottom of the garden and her expression relayed concern as she hesitated for a moment.

"Go!" He mouthed to her and she slipped away into the forest.

The crunch of gravel underfoot rang in his ears and his mind raced. He hurriedly put her plate and mug in the cupboard and dashed through to the bedroom, eyes scanning for any evidence of her. He straightened his bedding as there was a knock on the door.

He paused, and held his breath.

There was another more insistent knock.

"Police! Open up!" Howell called firmly.

Fuck! What do they want now?

Noah tried to tidy his appearance and pulled his robe closer around him. He walked cautiously down the hall and opened the door to Detective Howell and Officer Yates. Behind them stood three other officers with stony expressions.

"Good morning gentlemen. How can I help?" Noah greeted the officers politely.

"Dr Noah Courentin. We have a warrant to search the premises."

"In relation to what?" Said Noah, stepping aside.

"In relation to the murder of Jeremy Cameron. We need you to come down to the station to answer some questions. Get dressed."