Chapter 27.2

"Interesting look," Jason said once he met up with Melanie again. "It suits this - … you."

Melanie gave a coy smile while lowering her head and tucking her bangs behind her eyes. She looked back up at Jason with upturned eyes. "Thanks, I wasn't sure you'd like it."

Jason smiled woodenly while gazing at the distance above her head, unable to look Melanie in the eyes.

"Was there something you needed?" He asked tersely. Melanie gave him a second look while a hint of her brow furrowed in confusion.

"No … not really," she replied in a perplexed manner. "Is there something wrong? Are you alright? You seem … distant."

With her sharp intuition, Melanie picked up the slight guard Jason had put up, making the latter sigh at how attentive she was. She had accurately guessed that he was intentionally being brusque. Jason already had enough trouble with women, his issues with Elizabeth and Katelyn were troubling enough and he didn't want to add another woman, especially one as imbalanced as Melanie, to the mix.

"I'm fine," Jason answered indifferently, his eyes refused to make contact with her doe-like eyes. "Was - how are the children?"

Melanie noticed his attempt to change the subject but didn't push him further. Instead, she frowned a bit before smiling daintily.

"Let's walk around and talk, mhm?" She suggested cheerfully as she grabbed his arm and locked both her arms around it. Jason didn't say anything and continued walking with her taciturnly. He understood that she was attempting to misdirect any sightseers from knowing the contents of their conversation.

"I've taken the children to a welfare center that doubles as an orphanage," Melanie said quietly. "There's nothing else I can do. There's too many for me to handle, so the best I could do was support the orphanage."

"Were you not able to find their parents?" Jason asked. His face was completely placid, however, a glint of anguish flashed through his eyes.

"The traffickers were smart. They only targeted vulnerable children," Melanie answered. She shifted her hands, pulling one away from Jason while sending the other to his hand, where her fingers interlocked with his. The two had their hands clasped together romantically, but Jason could feel Melanie's restlessness as her hand tightened its grip over his. "The children were orphans or outcasts. Most were picked from the Undercity."

"The Undercity? I thought - weren't those restricted maintenance areas?" a perturbed Jason asked as a two-line wrinkle formed between his eyebrows which were scrunched up.

The Undercity was the lower levels of the city, the tunnels and access centers that were connected to the sewers, underground energy plants, and maintenance tunnels. The city was artificially made, meaning that the ground below was full of pipes, wires, and metal. If one were to look at its perspective, the bottom was like the hull of a spaceship from a sci-fi series. That place was rumoured to house a refuge for the homeless and the hapless, but Jason hadn't heard any substantial intel, so he assumed it was heresy. Either way, it didn't concern him. Until now.

"Originally, yes. But for the unfortunate …" Melanie smiled bitterly as she leaned her head against Jason's shoulder. She could feel his steel-like muscles underneath his soft skin and smooth shirt. "It's better than anywhere else. It's dark, sure, but you get a dry, clean room. One that's got walls warmed by fusion reactors. Makes a good, hard bed."

Jason squeezed Melanie's hand and she looked up at him and smiled despondently. He realized that she was speaking from experience, probably when she first arrived in Sanctuary, and he couldn't help but sympathize with her. How many times did he sleep out on the streets when he was younger? His Esper power and Practitioner level allowed him to resist the cold that would chill a normal child, making him more fortunate than others. Even then, he wished for a dry spot whenever it rained or snowed, wished for someone, anyone, to turn and help him.

But the world's not that kind, is it? Jason thought with a bitter smile.

"Will you be visiting them?" Jason asked quietly while they stopped in front of the garden outside the greenhouse.

The flowers which should have been wilting from the cold were being attended to by students, of all ages, who used spells to keep the flowers alive. A couple, two older students from the university curriculum, exchanged knowing looks while watching the two amusedly and a few younger high school students peeked at Jason and Melanie from the corner of their eyes.

"Yeah, every day if I can," Melanie said with a choked laugh.

"I'll join you in visiting them," Jason mulled for a moment before saying slowly. "Tell me the next time you go there."

"All right," Melanie replied. When she noticed Jason moving, she called out to him. "Jason."

"Hmm?" Jason stopped and looked at her. Melanie leaned close to Jason's chest, resting her head against it while placing a hand atop. She could feel the steady and strong heartbeat under her hand, echoing through her ears and warming her own heart. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself as Jason quietly stood without moving a muscle.

"Thank you," Melanie said quietly after enjoying the moment for a time.

"Yeah," Jason answered before leaving. "Anytime."

Huh. Isn't she around 5, 5.2? Jason thought as he walked away. How was she able to reach my chest?

Melanie's smile faded once he was gone and she tilted her head while watching the direction to which he disappeared to, her eyes turning frosty despite the sweet smile that lingered on her face.

Something happened last night, Melanie thought calmly. He must have met those tramps … a vixen he's slept with … meaning they're in the city. If so then …

"Then I can't wait to meet them," Melanie hissed quietly, a vicious look in her warm brown eyes. Her eyes travelled to a window where she saw a familiar figure standing there watching her despondently.

"Mmm, it's time to team up," Melanie whispered as Emily, after a moment of eye contact, left the window and walked away.