Training

"Hey, Sage." Ty whispered in her ear as they drove back to his parents house. "I want to show you something tonight. Can I come pick you up from your room around 9?"

Sage blushed

"Sure." she whispered back.

Once they reached the house, Ty and Lyla went to explain what Lance had told them to their parents.

Sage and Lance went to put their new clothes into their rooms using the maps Lee had giving them. He had kindly marked where their rooms were so they would be able to find them.

Sage sat on her bed thinking about the days events and wondering what the night would hold for her.

*knock, knock*

"Who is it?"

"It's me, ready to go down to the training grounds?" came Lance's voice from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, just give me a min."

Sage opened the door a few minutes later, wearing a black t shirt and jean shorts.

They followed the map to a large room that looked like an inside jungle gym.

"Hey, so we will be practicing combat training today since that is harder to learn then shooting guns." Ty explained running over to them. " So this is Tobi, she is our marshall arts teacher." he said introducing a young woman with black hair and matching black eyes. She was thin but very fit and looked rather mean.

"We will be training you by first learning your instincts." she explained.

Then without warning, she ran at Sage and swung a punch at her face. Sage ducted, then she tried to sweep Sage's legs. Sage did a backflip landing in a crouched position.

Lance smirked. Ty stood in shock, Lyla came over with her mouth open. Tobi looked completely bewildered.

"Sage, has been studying marshall arts sense she was little and gymnastics. She is completely self taught." explained Lance.

"That was incredible! You are amazing!" said Ty.

"Thanks." Sage said sheepishly.

"Well, I guess, I will not need to train you as much but you will still be expected to do drills and show me what you know. Ty, you will fight her."

"Wait, are you-"

"Begin!" Tobi said firmly.

Ty looked at Sage guiltily. Sage smirked and ran at him. Ty braced himself for a blow but it never came. Sage jumped grabbing onto Ty's shoulders and flipping herself over his body and landing behind him. Before he could react, she swept his legs out from under him, bring him to the ground. Ty stared up at her and smiled as she helped him up.

"Very good." Tobi said. "You will do drills for two hours everyday till you can anticipate each other's moves."

"Now, Lance."

She pounced again, attacking Lance with a kick to the chest. Lance caught her foot but she quickly brought her other foot around and kicked him in the side of the head, bring him to the ground.

"Sean, are you okay!" Sage said running over.

Lance turned to look at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just got a busted lip." he said showing her his mouth.

"You too, have good instincts, they are a little slow but we will works on that." Tobi told him.

Sage helped him up.

"Now we will train for the next two hour, then you may go have dinner."

They trained hard, there were no breaks or time outs. Tobi told them, in real battle, the enemy does not stop because we are tired.

After their training they all went and got cleaned up.

"I'm so tired." Sage said as she walked down to dinner with Lance.

"Me too. I think I'm going to eat then go straight to bed. I know Lyla and Ty wanted to show us the grounds but I don't think I have the energy tonight."

They ate dinner in the family dinning room. Mateo was very happy to see Sage again and sat next to her asking her questions in spanish as they ate.

"You know, he hasn't said one word since you left and he sat by the window waiting for you all to get back. We told him you had training once you got home and he looked so sad. He must like you very much Sage." Molly explained looking at her.

"He said I remind him of his sister." Sage said. "That is probably why he likes me."

"So, concerning this stalker Ty and Lyla told us about. I don't want any of you to worry, we will get the whole thing sorted out and let you know what we find." Lenard said with a small smile. "You just focus on your training. Tobi told us that you are quite the marshall arts expert Sage."

"Not really." Sage said blushing.

"She is incredible dad, she even took me down." Ty said staring at her.

"Well I want you all to make sure you get lots of rest. Tomorrow will be gun training and more combat training, so rest up."

"We will mom, but I think we are going to show them the grounds tonight if they are up for it." Lyla said looking at Lance and Sage.

"I think I am just going to turn in for the night after this." Lance said. "I'm really tired but I would love to tomorrow, maybe?"

"Me too." said Sage with a glance at Ty.

"Okay then, we will go tomorrow morning so y'all aren't so tired."

After dinner Sage and Lance said goodnight to everyone. Sage gave Mateo a hug and told him she wanted to play with him the next day. Then they made their way back to their rooms.

"Well, goodnight." Lance said with a yawn.

"Yeah, you too." Sage said. "You know, I like this. I'm glad we made the choice to stay."

Then she gave him a swift hug and walked to her room.

Once in her room Sage began to think what she would wear to meet Ty. She thought, and finally decided on the yellow blouse and burgundy skirt she had got at the mall. She looked at herself in the mirror. She was still wearing her colored contacts, she took them out and stared at herself. She smiled and waited.

She laid down on her bed thinking maybe Ty thought what she had said at dinner meant she didn't want to meet up but just then there was a small tap at the door. She opened it, and there was Ty.

"Ready?" he asked holding out his hand for her.

She nodded and took his hand.

He led her through the house very quietly till they entered a library.

"Now here."

He handed her a strip of cloth.

"What's this." she asked.

"A blindfold. Trust me, I won't let you hit a wall or anything."

He helped her tie the blindfold on then took her hand again. Soon they stopped walking and Sage felt Ty gently untie the blindfold.

They were in a beautiful green house with a high glass dome ceiling, plants of all shapes, sizes and colors. It was breathtaking, she could see the stars through the roof and beautiful vast rolling hills through the glass walls.

She was so overwhelmed by the sights that she hadn't noticed a little blue blanket spread out on the ground in the middle of the room. It had small candles around it that were giving off the only light in the room. Ty was sitting on the blanket and motioned for her to sit next to him.

"I thought I would do something special for you since it was your birthday a few days ago. Do you like it?"

Sage smiled.

"I love it! This is beautiful!

Ty smiled at her.

"I got you something," he said. "While Lyla and I were shopping I picked it out."

He held out a small box to her.

Sage took it and opened it.

Inside was a beautiful silver chain necklace with a small sapphire pendent hanging from it.

"I got it for you, for when you wear your velvet dress."

"I love it!." Sage said staring at it in awe. "Is this a real sapphire?"

"Of course."

"Wow...I don't know what to say. It is amazing. Could you help me put it on?"

"You want to wear it now?"

Sage nodded and Ty gently fastened the necklace clasp behind her neck.

"How does it look?" She asked.

"Beautiful." He said as he leaned close to her and gently kissed her on the cheek. "Just like you."

Sage froze.

"I like you Sage. I know I don't know you very well but I want you to know that and I want to get to know you if you will let me?"

"Justin, I...I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know how I feel." He said standing up and offering her his hand again.