Alex went after him back to the kitchen. Tom waited for them to sat at the bar again.
"Why d'you wanna learn more about it?" he asked.
"If I have such a skill, I need to learn how to use it."
"Why?"
She didn't need to voice the 'are you kidding?' Tom read it on her face and looked down at his mug, picking his words carefully.
"Listen, Alex. The Elder says that when you open yourself to channel other energies, a bit of your human energy, or span, is burned in the process every time. And it's replaced by whatever energy you're channeling. So if you channel too much, or too often, sooner or later you end up burning up, losing all of your humanity. That's how that Nooksack shaman became The Guardian: he channeled the wood's energy span until it replaced his own,"
Alex held his eyes while she digested the insight. Tom kept silent.
"You're suggesting I shouldn't learn to do it?" she asked.
"I'm saying nothing can justify you losing you identity. Who would want you not being you anymore?"
She looked down with a deep breath. She felt as if she were back to that cold, dark place where she'd wondered for days while her body lay in a hospital bed. And in that oppressive darkness, Tom's voice seemed to be the only thing able to reach her, his words like his hand reaching out to her, to guider her back home safe.
To give her some room, Tom took their empty mugs to the sink. But his move startled her away from her musing. She spun on her stool to watch him, wondering why this man, this stranger, made her feel like he did. Why she suddenly needed so badly to be in his arms once more. Why she felt everything would be alright if only he held her again.
Tom glanced over his shoulder and found Alex staring at him. He closed the faucet and turned around, stretching out his hand to her. She took it and slid down her stool. His mild smile pulled from her to kill the distance between them.
His arms locked around her, his head low to rest his cheek against Alex's forehead. She let out a shaky sigh and they lingered like that for a long moment.
"I so wanted to see you again," she murmured.
"Me too. That's why I took the first excuse I found to come."
Alex looked up at him, puzzled. "Excuse?"
"You know, the festival."
She smiled, loving his confession. "You don't need any excuse to drop by, Mr. Sutton."
He entwined his fingers in her hair. "I'll sure keep that in mind," he whispered, leaning further to kiss her.
Alex savored the moment, until he broke the kiss gently.
"We gotta get up early tomorrow," he said.
"And you're always so responsible."
Tom scoffed when she stepped back, away from him.
"Where d'you wanna sleep?"
He looked up, frowning as if considering his potions. Alex chuckled and took his hand to lead him out of the kitchen.