Beyond the Shadows

The picture was coming along nicely. You could definitely see the garage background, and contrary to what she had originally intended, Alec decided to draw Kit as she had seen him when he first spotted her. Standing up, turned slightly towards her, ear buds in, a look of surprise on his face. To add just a bit more to it, she also added (for perspective) Shep and herself, closer to the edge of the picture. Details were coming together and pulling the whole picture into something beautiful. Now all it needed was some color.

So deep into her own world, the sound of the door startled Alec quite a bit more than she'd ever admit. It was Kits voice and Sheps lack of aggression at the knock that really pulled her out of panic mode enough so she could get to the door. "Actually, yeah." She spoke as she opened the door for him to enter. Seeing the food that he held, she smiled softly. "You didn't have to.. Feed us.." She spoke almost sheepishly. Alec had been alone for so long, she wasn't sure how to appropriately react to such a thing.

"Come in.. And, thanks."

Kit smiled as he entered Alec's apartment. He didn't expect her to have anything really set up except for the bare essentials, since she had just started moving in that day. It was clear that she had been traveling light, evidenced by the lack of boxes and packaging tape. The space was still clean, for the most part. "I figured you'd be busy unpacking, and most people forget to eat when they get into a groove, so I wanted to make sure you had everything."

He placed the dish on the counter and grabbed a fork, realizing that he hadn't yet tasted the completed product. Kit almost gagged as soon as the 'food' touched his tongue. He realized immediately that he must have salted it twice, for it tasted like pure salt with a little bit of everything else. There was no subtlety to spitting the taste back into the dish, having realized that no one in their right mind would find that appealing.

"On second thought... why don't I take you out? Show you around a little bit? There's an outdoor bakery not far from here where we could take Shep."

For a moment Alec felt uneasiness well withing her, but quickly squashed it. She was safe for the time being. It hasn't even been a week since she had escaped the view of Jerrod, he would still be searching her last location for signs of her and which direction she went. If he had asked her that a month or so from now her answer would be a flat, unwavering no. Jerrod could be sniffing around by that point, and she would never risk her safety just to go out and have a life.

"Sure. That sounds nice." She smiled and looked back at Shep. "Wanna go for a walk? I'll have to leash you." That didn't seem to matter to the dog, he was just excited to be able to go outside again. He yipped in response, and she knelt down to pull his leash out of her back, tucking a few treats into her pocket.

"Its a shame that we can't eat what you cooked. Looks good, but I assume it looks better than it tastes by your reaction?" Alec laughed as she stood, hand loosely looped in Sheps leash. She didn't have to worry about him pulling her or trying to run off. He was well trained, and loved.

The pair exited the building, canine loyally sticking to his master's side. It was easy to see that the animal not only respected her position as master, but appreciated her love and affection and returned it as often as possible. Shep really was a good dog, which made Kit again miss his own pet. Maybe he would adopt another dog.

No... not then. It wasn't the right time. Maybe Alec would let Kit walk him occasionally. Yes, yes that would be better.

"Eh, you put too much faith in me. I like to cook, but i'm not that great. Most of my recipes come from family. I just make little modifications to them to suit my tastes. I can't stand onions, but a lot of times a bit of raw radish can replace that crunch with something... well edible, really." Kit hated onions with a fiery passion. If he had his way, they would not exist on the face of the planet Earth.

Down the street and around the corner, Kit made small talk, generally avoiding both of their pasts, thinking it too early to really start digging. There would be time for that later on, if he even felt he needed to pry. But his 'don't ask don't tell' policy was not one he broke lightly. The bakery came into view, and just as it did, the air was joined by the sweet smells of pastries and freshly baked breads. It always made Kit's mouth water.

"It's really not too bad here. I mean crime can be an issue sometimes, and you'll want to stay away from the Boiler Room as much as possible. But other than that, I think you'll really like it here."

Alec enjoyed the walk, and the small talk. The air felt good on her skin, the smells making her realize how hungry she really was. She was glad Kit was so kind. Most people would just leave a new person alone to fend for themselves in a new and unfamiliar area. Or they'd pry, and dig into the details of the past, most and inconsiderate. But not Kit. He seemed to avoid the past, and she was glad for it.

"If this were some sort of horror novel, my first thought would be: let me go check out the Boiler Room, but since I've read enough Stephen King, I am smarter than that." She laughed. It felt nice to laugh with someone else, to have a human companion. She loved Shep, and would do anything to protect him, but sometimes having another person to talk to was comforting. It really was a shame it wouldn't last for more than a few months.

As we neared the bakery, a door slammed from somewhere nearby causing a loud echo down the street. Alecs entire body tensed, tightening her grip on her dogs lead, and she fought to maintain her passive expression and nature but it was clearly visible that the loud, sudden sound had rattled her.

I jumped at the sound of metal impacting metal, but relaxed shortly after. I was relatively accustomed to sudden, loud noises. Almost immediately, however, I could see that Alec was not only frightened by the sound, but was left visibly shaken by it. Shep's quiet whimpering clued me in that there was more going on than just being scared by a loud sound.

"Hey, it's alright. Shit like that happens every now and then around here. It's an older part of town so things aren't quite as quiet as they are now. The first two years living here I was terrified to walk down the sidewalk cause i'd here gun shots almost every day. Turned out it was just an old car backfiring."

I didn't even really realize it, but I had moved to stand between Alec and the street. Not that there was anything wrong with that, of course, but I worried in that instant that I might have made her uncomfortable. But she didn't know that I could do things that no one else can do. She didn't know that I could throw lightning or mess with electricity. She didn't need to know. No one needed to know.

"It just startled me, is all. I had gotten used to the quiet, I guess I wasn't expecting it." I laughed, though a bit forced, and breathed deeply to calm my rapidly pounding heart. Instinctively I reached down and ran my fingers through Sheps fur. He was shaken, but calmed a bit when he felt my touch.

Kit had moved, after that, between the road and me. Contrary to what most people would have felt, I was actually relieved. I dont know why, but that small gesture calmed me down a lot and I felt more at ease. It was a simple movement, something he probably didn't even realize he was doing, but I appreciated it. It was as if he had put himself between me and the strange newness of the neighborhood. Like a shield, or a buffer.

"I hope the food in here tastes as good ss it smells." I changed the subject, hoping to lighten the sudden dark mood that had come over us.

I didn't press any harder, but I wasn't blind, nor was I dumb. There was clearly something deeper going on, but it was up to her whether or not he would end up learning about it. I decided that I shouldn't pry into it too deeply, but I was both fascinated and curious by her sudden shift in demeanor. "It's pretty good," I reply. "Better than most places."

We walk inside and immediately I hear my name. Embarrassed I chuckled and tucked my face down low. The old man and I had known each other only a short time, but when Giovanno needed help, I was there to answer the call. He said he owed me, but I wasn't really keeping a tab. He took care of me, too, so it all worked out fine.

"Hey, Gio. Couple of works for me and my friend here, yeah?"

"You got it, my boy!" Giovanno got to work immediately, singing in his native Italian as he rolled dough and seasoned sauces.

"Gio is probably one of the few actual native Italian chefs in the area. The man's a genius. He can cook anything in any style for any one... especially me." I whispered the last part and winked. Gio was a good man, one that I respected in the community. There just weren't very many of them.

"He seems to care for you a great deal." I smiled, glad he didnt press any further on my fright. It wouldnt do any goos to tell him, I doubted I would be around long enough for him to even care about me more than a tenant. "It smells amazing, I can't wait to try it." I really couldn't. I hadn't eaten since.. Well.. I couldn't remember, which wasn't good. I'd been fueled by coffee the last cpuple of days and I was suddenly starving.

"Would you mind holding Shep for me? I need to run to the washroom real quick." I could have taken him with me, and normally would have, but I could see the look in his eyes when he saw my dog. He missed his own pup. I didn't mind sharing my little one for a bit if it would make him feel better. "If you wanted to, maybe you could join us for our nightly walks before his bedtime. I don't mind if you walk him, he's taken quite a liking to you." I smiled and handed over his leash; turning to Shep I held up one finger, and he knew that was the sign for 'stay' do he just laid at Kits feet.

"I'd like that," I replied, watching you move out of sight before turning to Shep. I hunkered down next to him, giving him a scratch behind his ear. He was a good dog, obviously devoted to you, and for good reason. Shep listened to you because you listened to him. You genuinely cared about him, so he was loyal to you. It actually surprised me how much he'd taking a liking to me, being a stranger and all. My mother had once told me that dogs are a better judge of character than people, and that moment with your dog made me wonder if she was right.

"Good boy, Shep," I said softly, sitting down fully on the sidewalk and pulling the canine into my lap. He obliged without one iota of hesitation, and even smiled as I continued to scratch and pet him. I had no doubt that this animal would protect you fiercely if the need arose, but other than that, he was just a warm-blooded teddy bear, smart and loving.

In the bathroom I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself for a long moment. I looked tired. There were the beginnings of dark bruise like marks under my eyes, and the color seemed a bit lackluster. I took a step back and smiled, and even I could see that it didn't reach my eyes. I let my fake little smile fade and threw some cool water on my face to try and loosen myself up a bit. We were safe. I had to repeat that littlw mantra to myself several times to really believe it. Shep and I were safe.

Looking back into the mirror I thought I saw a shadow move behind me, and a deep panic shot through my chest before I realized it had been me. My shadow had moved when I looked up; I let out a soft, nervous laugh and closed my eyes. "I'm safe..." I whispered shakily to myself. Was I that paranoid that my own shadow was scaring me now? This couldn't be healthy. I had to stop freaking out every time I thought I saw something. I could not let myself lose control. Bad things happened when I lost control.

With oneast look and slight adjustment I walked out of the bathroom, and headed back to the boys. "How was my little darling? Was he a good boy? Does he deserve... This?" I pulled a treat from my bag, and Shep lifted his head slightly from his position on your lap and his tail began to wag. I grinned. What a good boy.

"Oh i'm fine, thanks." I winked at Alec, obviously joking as I watched Shep go absolutely bananas after hearing the word 'treat'. I'd never seen a happier dog with a human, except for my own dog. Shep moved to her while I readjusted myself in my chair into a more comfortable position, just in time for the server to greet us.

The young woman, a server there for many months, knew what I wanted without asking. I'd been there so many times I had lost count. She was flirty, and sometimes I would flirt back, but I never let it go too far. She was nice, and a very pretty girl, but she lacked a quality that I had determined to be paramount in my future significant other.

After she leaves, I turn my attention back to Alec, smiling as I leaned forward a little. "So you move around a lot, huh? Work related or are you just adventurous?"

I laughed at Kit, a welcome joke to distract me from my own internal panic. When the server came, I ordered something for myself and my pup, then turned my attention back to him.

"A bit of both, really. I travel for art school to expand my portfolio and my views on the world, but I also like to go to new places and see new things. I'm not ready to settle down to one specific area yet." More than I couldnt. I hated the constant paranoia, the hurried travelling, the fear and uncertainty of where I would end up next. It caused unneeded stress in my life, and I couldnt settle down until Jared was gone. Or at least until he got bored of looking for me. Twelve years in and he still wasn't quitting so I wasn't sure I would ever get the chance to stay somewhere and live peacefully.

"What about you? Do you travel or have you always lived here?" His home, from what I had seen, seemed like it was in his family, so I could only assume he had lived there for a bit of time. I was jealous. I wish I could have had something like that, stable, loving, no painful memeories of abuse or torture.

"That's really cool," I say with a smile, genuinely impressed by her answer. Seeing the world sounded really nice, much nicer than wasting away in a garage. I'd traveled some, but I was not nearly as worldly as the woman sitting across from me. I could only imagine how many languages and accents she must have picked up on her travels. Maybe one day I would be able to see the world, but it was a fantasy at that time, nothing more.

"I moved around a little, but not for cool reasons like yours. I've been here longer than i'd like to admit. I mean it's not a bad place, don't get me wrong. But sometimes I think it'd be nice to just get in the car and start driving. Just settle down wherever I run out of gas, you know?" I reached down and scratched Shep behind his ear, praising him for how good he was behaving. "But I couldn't. Someone has to take care of the house."

I considered his answer for a moment, then shrugged. "It sounds like you want an adventure but feel obligated to stay. Aside from taking care of your house what keeps you here? I don't mean to pry, really, but it seems that along with happy memories there are also some terribly sad ones."

I understood completely. I had half a mind to tell him that I would watch his house, take care of it, and let him go have his adventure. I would love to be in his place, to have a home, to be settled down. Buy I couldn't tell him to just go. I couldn't promise that o would always be there to take care of the house. If Jarrod came, then I would be gone.

"Traveling isn't as appealing as it seems, though. I'm never in a place long enough to make friends, I don't have family to send postcards to, or to have accompany me. As much as I get to see, its quite lonely to see it by myself." I avsently let Shep on the head, setting out a collapsible bowl and filling it with water. It was true that I had my dog, and I treated him as if he were my family, but it qould be nice to have someone to talk to. Like Kit. Our time together, since our meeting that day, had been my first real interaction with another human in quite a while.