The sun climbed over the trees, dimly lighting the living room and forcing Shintaro to open his eyes. He hadn't fallen back asleep since Abby had awoken and talked to him briefly, and he was almost grateful that he hadn't. He didn't want to slip back into the nightmare memories that often tormented his sleep, so he'd laid awake on his back until the sun rose. 

Sighing through his nose, Shintaro sat up slowly, running one hand through his long hair and gazing around him. Abby was sleeping with her back to him, her body curled tightly in the small ball she usually slept in. Linda was on her back beside Abby, her face tipping to the side and her right hand under her head to serve as a pillow. Gabriel and Falte were on her other side, both asleep with their backs to each other. Shintaro could see Falte's face, which was peaceful in his sleep, but he could only see Gabriel's back. 

Shintaro lifted the blankets away from his legs and torso, carefully swinging his legs off the couch to get going. He avoided stepping on Abby's hair and straightened off the couch, smoothing his T-Shirt with his hands. Walking around his sleeping friends, he made his way into the hallway, combing his hands through his thick hair as he went. He slipped into the bathroom and picked up a brush to finish the job, running it slowly through his white hair. He took a deep breath as he set the brush down, staring into the mirror. 

The man that stared back was not him.

The man in the mirror was standing wrong, his shoulders slouched and his chin dipped downward. His skin was pale and his eyes too dull, the undersides ringed with sleepless circles. His posture wasn't alert, which meant he definitely wouldn't be ready for a sudden attack. His left hand was shoved into his pocket, clenched tightly into a fist. His right hand was resting on the counter, and he was putting too much weight into the lean. 

This man wasn't him. 

Not him.

Sighing shortly and angrily, Shintaro looked away from his broken reflection and walked out of the bathroom, leaving the mirror behind. He trudged into the living room again, ambling around the couch the find the pile of clothes Amy had bought for him. He fished through them and found a pair of flexible pants, pulled them out, and stood up again. 

After changing, Shintaro grabbed the sweater that Amy had found in her closet and had lent to him, swinging it around his shoulders to pull it on. This autumn was colder than other years, and even though the cold didn't bother him so much, he made an effort to keep himself warm while he was outside. 

"Where are you going?" a small, bland voice asked bluntly behind him. Someone shifted in their sleeping bag, and the sound of a zipper filled the room. 

Shintaro turned around and found Linda sitting up, pulling her legs out of her sleeping bag to stand. When she rose to her feet, she stared blatantly at him, raising her eyebrows just a little bit. 

"Going to look for Kai," Shintaro said shortly, pushing away the urge to retort snappily back at her Where do you think? 

Linda's expression didn't change. "Shintaro. Where are you going?" she repeated, putting more emphasis on the last word. She kept her eyes trained on him, her face remaining neutral. Her hands dangled at her sides, though Shintaro expected one of them to come up and rest on her cocked hip soon. 

Shintaro frowned thoughtfully at her, confused. He had just told her where he was going, and he was sure she had already known before she'd even asked him. He didn't reply for a few moments, then narrowed his eyes at her and spoke. "Going to look for Kai," he repeated cautiously. 

This time, her expression changed, her eyebrows knitting together in slight annoyance. She strode up to him and looked up, straight into his eyes again. "No. Where are you going?" She stared quizzically at him. 

Puzzled, Shintaro shook his head slightly. "Linda, you're being confusing. I already told you where I'm going, and I would like to get going now." He didn't like that he was pushing her away, but that was all he seemed to be good at nowadays. He hated that she had only said one sentence to him, with a few additional words.

He wished he could fix this. 

As he turned slightly toward the door, her hand flew up and caught his wrist with an iron grip. He paused and turned his head back to her, raising his eyebrows almost in challenge. "Linda, let me go." 

"Where are you going?" she said again, her voice rising. She gripped his other arm and spun him around to face her, burning her blue eyes into his. "Answer me right. Where. Are. You. Going?" She reached up and planted her finger in between his eyes on his forehead, tapping twice. "Where are you going?" she repeated, softer this time. 

Shintaro blinked at her, trying to figure out what she was trying to say. As he stared in confusion, she tapped his forehead again with her finger, gazing into his eyes meaningfully. 

"Where are you going?" she asked in a soft tone. "I don't have to read your mind to know that you're not going out there just to look for Kai. Where are you going?" She tapped his head again. 

Shintaro finally realized what she meant, and he blew a defeated sigh. Her grip loosened on his wrist until she let go of him, then her hand dropped away from his face. 

"Away from the memories," he said softly, shamefully. He didn't like talking about his past, memories, or struggles to anyone else. But there was something about Linda that he trusted. He knew that she wouldn't judge him, laugh at him, or not believe him. She would understand and try to help.

He didn't know how or why he knew that, but his heart told him so. 

Linda smiled sadly, the smile barely reaching her eyes. "See? That wasn't so hard. You don't have to keep those things from me, Shintaro. It's not like I'm going to judge you for it." 

Shintaro's heart fluttered when he realized that the feeling he'd experienced was true. What was the other feeling he felt in his chest? He pushed it down, not wanting to find out, though he figured he already knew. 

Linda reached up again with both hands this time, cupping his face with her small fingers. "Shintaro, I can help you with them. At least when you sleep," she added softly. "I can push them to the back of your mind as you sleep, leaving them untouched by your thoughts." 

"No," Shintaro said immediately, shaking his head beneath her hands. "I don't want to do that to you. I... don't want you to see them. They... You can't see them." He shook his head again, but she forced his head to still with her hands. 

"Why not?" she asked gently, making Shintaro look at her again. 

"Do I have to answer that?" Shintaro asked bluntly, frowning at her. 

"Yes," she replied raise of her eyebrows. "I didn't say it was a rhetorical question, Shintaro." 

Shintaro fought back a small smile, grateful that Linda's sarcastic bluntness was returning. "I don't want you to see them, Linda. They're not for anyone else to see. They're my memories. No one else should have to endure them." 

Linda frowned sadly up at him, taking a deep breath through her mouth. She began rubbing her right thumb along his cheek, and Shintaro flinched slightly, confusion churning in his stomach. "I won't have to endure them. I'll just be pushing them away." 

"You'll have to see them to know which ones they are," Shintaro retorted, shaking his head again. "I don't want you to have to see them." He closed his eyes and blew a sigh, lifting one hand to take her left hand in his. "I said no, Linda. I made my choice. Are you going to let me go now?" 

Linda stared at him for a few silent moments, her thumb circling his cheek gently, sending tingles through his face and down his neck. With her other hand, she squeezed reassuringly. "Okay," she said after a few minutes. "I'll respect your choice. But," she added sternly, raising her eyebrows at him again, "if you need it, come to me. Don't try to deal with it yourself until you can't anymore. You have limits, and you need to accept that." 

Shintaro sighed deeply, then slowly nodded his head. "Okay." He smiled slightly at her, and she returned it. 

"Alright, now get out of here," she said forcefully, her smile turning slightly playful. She slapped his cheek gently in a dismissive gesture, and let go of his hand. Her hands dropped to her sides, and she watched him turn toward the door. 

Shintaro moved toward the closed door, reached for the handle, and paused. He glanced over his shoulder and caught Linda's icy blue eyes with his own.

"I'm going to fix this." 

~

This chapter turned out a little longer than I had planned in my head, but hey, it worked out. This chapter was literally just Shintaro and Linda talking together, but I DON'T MIND THAT AT ALL. 

You guys, who's it gonna be????

Gabriel likes Linda, and has for years now!

But Shintaro might be developing feelings for her too!?!

And what she she feel about them????

Who does she think of as a brother and who does she care for??? 

WHICH ONE????

AHHHHHHHHH-

Well, thank you for reading Alone, Escape, and finally starting this! It's making me very happy! Even though my sister is pretty much the only one reading this so far, because some people aren't finished with Escape or even Alone yet. 

I have a feeling my books will get at least a little more popular like once I'm finished with them or something.

Until the next chapter!

P3ac3!!!~~~