"That's exactly what happened? That's exactly what he said?" Fabian asked.
"Yes!" Nina exclaimed, pacing back and forth in Fabian's room, still during the morning.
"I can talk to him for you. See if everything's alright."
"Thanks. But I'm pretty sure something is up. And that was not the Jerome I know."
Fabian stood up from his bed and rubbed Nina's arm with that sure-to-charm Fabian smile of his. "I've got this."
Nina smiled back and nodded. Before she left, she also said, "Hey, I think I'll take the first shift in the tunnels today."
"You should have someone go with you."
"Um, I'll ask Alfie or KT."
"Or Mara?"
"Yeah, her too."
Nina left. She asked both Alfie and KT, but she avoided Mara, not wanting to think about their agreement the night before.
KT would take the second shift with Mara, and Nina would take her first shift with Alfie. Alfie brought an apply with him, as they got their flashlights and headed down. Nina opened up the wall to the corridor leading to the intersection. Alfie decided to look around in the main part of the basement while his munching on his apple echoed against the walls.
Alfie shined his flashlight on the portrait of Amneris with her dark brown hair, expressionless eyes, and non-smiling face. Her silk that she wore was obviously ancient, but the portrait only revealed some gold, silver, and copper cloth in her clothing. Nina came over as well.
"Gets creepier every time you look at it," Alfie admitted. "Why doesn't she smile?"
"Guess she's not one to show much emotion," Nina assumed.
"Yeah, except when she's angry."
"Gods, right?"
Alfie cracked up. Nina smiled as she went to view other things. There was a box on the ground, full of rusted tools that could no longer be used. They were covered in webbing and dust as well.
"Do you think they'll come back?" Alfie asked from another part of the room.
"Eddie and Patricia? Well, yeah. You gotta have faith, right?"
"I guess...Hey, about Set-"
Nina looked up. "Yeah?"
"It's pretty much up to you and Mara to save this world against him-well in my opinion, you probably could do it yourself, considering you have a portion of two gods in you-but how will you do it? Do you think you'll get the Osirion crown in time?"
"Like I said. Faith, Alfie."
Alfie nodded.
Then he suddenly said, "What if faith isn't enough?"
"Alfie, just-please..."
"Right. Sorry." Alfie then made a suggestion. "Why don't we go look for them?"
"It's too dangerous. We'll do it again when Sibuna meets up. That way, while we're mapping out the tunnels, we'll also be searching for them."
Alfie nodded.
~~~~~
Jerome was walking out his room, towards the kitchen, when Joy was coming down stairs and Fabian was leaving his room.
"Jerome!" they both exclaimed.
Jerome looked back at Fabian and up at Joy. They all went to the main area of the summer house.
"I need to speak to Jerome," Fabian said quickly.
"But I need to speak to Jerome," Joy retaliated.
"It'll be real quick." Fabian grabbed Jerome's arm.
"I don't care," Joy replied, grabbing Jerome's other arm.
"Please, just one minute-"
"No!" Joy exclaimed.
"Guys," Jerome pulled from both of them. "Fabian, we'll talk later. I have to accompany my girlfriend before anyone else."
Joy smiled sweetly at him as he returned one. As Jerome escorted Joy back upstairs, Joy stuck her tongue out at Fabian. Very childish.
Joy closed her door behind her and Jerome.
"You're not still mad at Willow, are you?" Joy asked.
-No," Jerome replied after a moment of hesitation. "No grudge here. You were right; I was just tired."
Joy smiled. "Are you alright? You don't seem the same. I can't quite put my finger on. But you seem-could I say-daunting?"
Jerome inched closer to Joy. "Is daunting...good?"
"I'm still trying to...figure that out." Joy swallowed as her back pressed against the wall.
She cold barely say anything as Jerome came closer into her space. He'd never been this way before, and she sensed some change in his spirit and the air around her, something she hadn't sensed around him before. But she liked it.
Jerome laid a kiss on Joy's lips. It was firm, but the soft kind of firm. The firm that made you feel safe and invited, and made him seem willing and able. Joy kissed back, and they kissed again and again, and Jerome made his way down her neck and back up to her lips.
Joy stopped and slightly pushed Jerome back. She didn't want it to end, but she wanted to save some for later.
"Come back soon," she smiled innocently. "But Fabian does need you."
"Right," Jerome grinned. "I'm sorry, but we got caught away. What'd you invite me up here for?"
"I don't remember." Joy felt like she was a little kid again, with her voice soft and innocent as it couldn't get louder, and she just stood in the same spot, unable to walk.
Jerome laughed slightly. "I don't know if I should apologize."
"No, no-no."
Jerome nodded as a toothy grin sprawled across his face. He left the room, gently closing the door behind himself. The smile went off his face as he headed towards the stairs. Mara was coming up the steps, as he stood at the top. When Mara was at the top, Jerome stopped her.
"Mara, hi," Jerome greeted.
"Hi, Jerome," Mara greeted back.
"Since you discovered you were the Chosen One, has anything happened lately?"
"No, why?"
"No reason. I just care, that's all. But if anything does happen, tell me, will you?"
"Ok?" Mara was confused by this Jerome, of whom she felt shed never known.
Jerome nodded and went down the stairs. Mara continued back to her room, pushing Jerome to the back of her mind.
Jerome stopped at the bottom of the steps. "And now to Fabian."