A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop. 

No, it couldn't be. (F/n) hadn't even seen a red truck in the parking lot. There only had been the semi and a dark blue truck. She knew that she couldn't keep staring, but she couldn't move her eyes from his direction. Never, did she expect to see him again after the cabin in the mountains; she wasn't supposed to see him ever again. Ether peered around her and towards the male at the table too. His eyes narrowed. He had no idea who the guy was, but his partner clearly did.

"(F/n), who is he?" his tone was low and threatening, which snapped her attention quickly onto him.

"..." Nothing left her lips at first since she was at a loss for words. Fear entered her orbs, and she knew that she only was making the situation worse. What was she supposed to tell him? Oh, that's just the guy who helped me escape the cabin when you left. Yeah, that wouldn't work at all, but her inability to look away from the older human male just landed her in a precarious position. "Just someone I've seen before. That's all." It wasn't a lie; it just was a very vague answer.

"Right." His tone indicated that he knew there was more to it, and she knew that he knew. To her relief, Ether faced the register. "Anyway, let's pay for the gas. We'll talk to him after." That gave her pause, and her eyes stared frightfully at him. "What?" He giggled quietly so that no one but her would hear the sound. "You thought that I just would let him slide after how you looked at him. Not going to happen."

Slightly, her right foot stepped back. "Don't even think about warning him, or there really might be a death here tonight." His quiet words rang loudly and deadly in her ears, and she reluctantly followed after him. Ether smirked at her compliance and continued on the way to the main counter. (F/n) peered over her right shoulder, though, and noticed that whoever he was talking to just got up.

Dark brown curly locks were on the man's head. He looked to be in twenties, though; he also seemed like he could be older. That age increase didn't seem natural. Rather, it looked like stress and terror had added several years onto him. Light green eyes appeared tired and worn out as though he already had seen too much for his short life. His face was sunken in from exhaustion even if there were no bags under his eyes. It was as though he only was hanging on by a thread and that coffee was his way out of his thoughts as well as conversation with someone who understood him. Then again, she had no idea what he was conversing about with the other human male, but it seemed like it hadn't been the most light-hearted conversation.

"See you later, Thomas," the other male spoke as he leaned back on the booth seat. Thomas lifted up his right hand a little bit before he left the building. Ether, momentarily, glanced over to the male, but he didn't go after him. If anything, that was one less person he had to worry about. Besides, the male hadn't even registered that Ether or (f/n) were in the building. His tired eyes had glossed over them as though they were nothing but figments of his imagination. Despite Thomas having worked as a police officer, his troubled thoughts caused him not even to recognize that (f/n) (l/n), one of the survivors of Cankerfell, was in the same building as him.

Thankfully, no one else in the establishment seemed to recognize her either, which would've been a problem, and someone probably would die in the building, then. "Thirty on pump two. Do you need the receipt?" the woman behind the counter asked. Paying attention to their interaction now, (f/n) noted that her nametag had Tabby written on it. The name of the diner was Tabby's Diner. Most likely, she was the owner of the place.

"No. It's fine." Tabby nodded before her eyes landed on (f/n). Not knowing what else to do, (f/n) smiled a bit, which seemed to put the older woman at ease since she focused back on the kitchen. (F/n) focused back on Ether before she followed him to the door, though; in the process, her (e/c) eyes finally met light green eyes. The human male's focus shifted over to Ether, and she saw his entire form freeze up.

Easily taking notice, Ether smirked. "I'll meet you there." (F/n) stared over to him confused. "I'll only be outside a minute to let Nick know about the gas." Worry set upon her face, and he removed his right hand from his pocket before he ruffled her hair a little. "Go on. I know you want to."

If she wasn't so concerned about the human male's safety, she would've glared. Ether, though, already had left the building and was outside waving to Nick that he could start filling up the tank. (F/n), nervous, turned back to the other male who had her concentration, and he looked as though he was glued to his spot. No one else seemed to pay attention, and Tabby was back in the kitchen already.

Steadily, she took one step forward after another. Every single one sounded as though the ground was collapsing beneath her feet. Her heart beat loud in her chest, and her palms felt sweaty. Of all times, why did he have to be here? Didn't his encounter with her back at the cabin ingrain into his mind a greater sense of caution? Then again, he was far from those mountains where he had met her and from her town, but ... but ...

Almost, she wanted to scream. It wasn't his fault. If anything, it was her fault for causing the dilemma since she hadn't been able to look away quick enough. Now, Ether was involved with one of the few people, maybe the only one, who truly had escaped him since Ether never had seen his appearance before. Sure, there had been his cologne at the cabin, but as she drew closer, she could smell no such thing on him. No doubt, he probably had tossed away all of his cologne after his encounter with her.

By the table now, she parted her lips to say something, but no words escaped her. All she could do was seat herself at the table and hang her head in apology. Eventually, she did mutter, "I'm sorry, Vincent." Her eyes couldn't meet his, and she did hear movement, but it wasn't his.

"So, who are you?" Nearly, she jolted out of her seat when she heard Ether's voice right next to her. Her terrified eyes peered over to him, but Ether was focused entirely on Vincent. "Clearly, my partner knows you, and if I'm correct, she just whispered your name." Both of his hands were in his hoodie's pockets, and he leaned forward, a grin, not a pleasant one, on his lips. "Vincent, right?"

Well, she just f*cked up again. But, those words had left her mouth before she could even think of the consequences of speaking them. Really, they were her only way to apologize for what she just had caused. This was supposed to be a quick trip into the diner. Ether knocks everyone out, he grabs the keys to the semi and they execute the next step of the plan. Now, they were sitting at a table with someone who probably was on Ether's hit list. The only reason he still was alive was because Ether again hadn't known what he had looked like.

"... I ..." Vincent didn't know how to react. Personally, he was debating how effective it would be to jump through the window next to him, scream or throw a couple of chairs. None of them seemed to do the trick, though, against the horrifying creature sitting across from him. His light green eyes glanced over to (f/n), but her eyes were staring to the tabletop as though there weren't two individuals at the same table as her. Looking back over to Ether, Vincent gulped and asked quietly. "Are you going to kill me?" He knew that their conversation couldn't be overheard, or his chance of dying might increase significantly. Same for everyone else in the place.

"Depends. We kind of have a huge errand to run after this, and a death might inconvenience the whole thing." Ether's giggle barely was audible. "But ..."

"What's the errand?" Vincent's words were rushed, and the terror in his voice was evident.

Instantly, Ether grinned since he knew exactly what the man was going for. "So, you want to be useful?" Ether removed his right hand from his hoodie and tapped his fingers against the tabletop. The intimidation method was working, and Vincent felt his heart increase its rate extensively. Maybe, he should've asked, but if the creature found out what he had done all those months ago, he was sure as dead unless he served some purpose to the creature before him.

"I want to live." Vincent forced himself to hold his gaze with the creature. His coffee had grown cold and was down to a few more sips in the cup, but he made no motion to call Tabby over for a refill. No one else needed to be dragged into the mess any more than they already were.

"We're taking the semi," (f/n) mentioned quietly. She finally looked up and met Vincent's gaze when he switched his eyes over to her. "He'll knock everyone out." Her body trembled, and she practically could feel Ether grin.

"Maybe not everyone," Ether giggled out almost inaudibly. Vincent visibly tensed, but he didn't say a word on Ether's comment. "But, she's basically right. Anyway if you want to be useful, explain quickly. Our errand's kind of important to my little helper."

"You need a semi, right?" Ether nodded, and (f/n) wondered what he was getting at. "Well, do you know how to drive one?" That time, Ether grinned before he motioned for Vincent to carry on. "I know how to if you need to learn. I can teach you in a few minutes. It won't be any fancy practice. Just what's what since it sounds like you both need to get somewhere." Vincent despite his tone managing to remain even and calm was inwardly panicking, and the grin he noticed on the creature's lips wasn't helping him remain any calmer.