Dinner had finished hours ago. Gaby was asleep, but Tia kept having nightmares. She wandered out to the fire. She expected to find Ari asleep, but he was awake and poking a stick at the fire. He looked up as she approached. She pulled her blanket tighter around her and sat on a log.
“Couldn’t sleep?”
She ignored the question.
“I know right now it feels like I am the enemy, but I hope you realize that is not true.”
Still, Tia remained silent.
They both sat in silence for a while until again he spoke.
“I don’t know your feelings on the matter, but I don’t take the fact that you are my fated partner lightly. We can talk or not, but I am not going anywhere. My place is here with you.”