Once she had showered, gathered her things and scarffed some toast Daniel had forced her to eat, Leah found herself in the cab of the truck somewhat nervous for what was to come. They were about to have easy access to one of the hardest things she'd have to do- talk to him or stop him in his tracks. Either way it went, no matter how difficult it was, she hoped it would actually help.

The person, the reason and the solution was what she needed to figure out. It was pretty bold tracking him down, but it had to be done. They had to start somewhere or may she forever be victim to the curse.

Leah rolled her eyes back until her head hit the headrest. There was so much anxiety brewing in her, steaming up the scenarios her mind began to conjure up. What if he tries to hurt me? What if he has weapons? What if this is all just a part of his plan? It was driving her crazy and she wasn't even at the library yet.

Daniel's hand went on her shoulder, shaking her slightly, "Stop thinking so much you'll only upset yourself. "

She opened her eyes, tilting her head at him, "How did you know?"

The truck came to to a stop at a red light and he zoned in on her, "Your eyebrows scrunch together when you're thinking too much."

The fact that he had paid attention enough to pick up on probably one of her worst habits made her feel a genuine concern emitting from him. It made her ease her tense shoulders against the seat and glance at him with truthful eyes. "I can't help it. I'm so nervous about this whole thing. I mean, are we really hunting this guy down?"

"Like a bear hunts for fish," he moved his hand to hers shaking in her lap, opening it up to reveal the crystal. The skin on her palm was redder than a cherry from holding on to it so tight. He boldly rest his over it, fingers sliding between hers, "I've got your back. As far as he's concerned you are fearless, got it?"

Leah sighed and admired the simplest touch from him, "I guess I could try." Her hand was raised up as he pulled it towards him, teasing her, "Try? The Tamanaka don't try they do."

Yes, she knew. Her family had a very "just do it" kind of attitude, at least they did before the accident. There was no second guessing or try again later, it was all about going for what they wanted and never settling for less. That attitude had stuck with her a little bit, most likely responsible for why she had what she had to her name. But it wasn't with her completely anymore. Now The only thing she had left to remember them was that awful memory.

Her hand was squeezed and she tore her attention to Daniel, who was gawking away. She groaned, "Okay, okay. Can I Have My hand back now?"

Hesistant to let go, he held her hand tightly and close to his face. The glisten of sunlight danced in his deep brown eyes. Something much different than an awkward moment passed through the truck before he slowly returned her hand to her lap and retracted back to the steering wheel.

The Light turned green and he gassed the truck forwards, turning back to focus on the road. Leah bit her lip and rolled her window down in the hopes of cooling her flushing cheeks. Despite her nerves being on edge, she couldn't help but imagine Alice being extremely gung-ho about her being so content with him. She'd probably make a few wedding jokes and finally get off her back about being so isolated.

But it was just for the time being. He'd help her as much of the way as possible before prancing back to Elk Village and resuming his life. It wasn't like they were going to always be inseparable.

She pulled her hair away from her face and inhaled the fresh air- or at least the smell of jam packed bistros and fast food places. When the sizzling scent of french fries crawled up into her nose she knew they were there. Sure Enough, he parked the truck in front of the burger joint that neighbored the library.

Her gut bubbled, "Already?"

--

"Good afternoon, Leah."

A man in a Navy blue Polo shirt greeted them from behind the front desk. His pale skin and thinning hair made him stand out like a sore thumb, but his kindness overthrew his appearance. He had been one of the first people to properly welcome her when she moved to Channing, and had been a sweetheart to her ever since. "How are you this fine day?" He asked, smiling.

Leah smiled and leaned on the lip of the desk, trying to seem as normal as possible, "I'm doing fine, thanks Harold." She peered at Daniel gathering her mind before returning to her library friend, "Do you have a minute? I need your help."

"For you, anything!"

The words lined up as she straightened her back and retrieved the book from Daniel before thumping it on the desktop, "I found this book at a bus stop and was wondering if you could help me find the current person who checked it out."

"What a doosie. Let me see what I can do." His fingers opened the book to the back before typing in some odd keys on his computer. He hummed a few times before finally sending a finger into the air in excitment, "Aha!"

"You found them?"

Harold nodded gleefully, "This is why they pay me the big bucks. I'll call them right now!"

Eyes wide and heart screaming, she shook her head and tapped on the book frantically, "N-no don't do that."

"Why not?"

"Well," she gulped, "You see, this book is in my language and I-I would really like to connect. I was hoping I could return it personally."

Pale ol' Harold stopped for a second, moving his head from the computer screen to her and back a few times. He was making her sweat with all the deciding he was doing. However, he finally looked over his glasses and lowered his voice, "I shouldn't do this." He turned and jingled a pen from a cup, "But you're one of my favorites. I suppose I could make an exception."

His hands pulled a sticky notepad in front of him as he wrote the information down rather quickly. Relief settled on Leah as he handed it to her and smiled, "Don't tell on me, okay?"

She smiled, thankful her lying was over with, "You got it. Have a nice day!" They parted from the desk and exited the building like they'd just robbed the place. But Leah waited until she was beside the truck to finally have a look and what he wrote down. Her eyes scanned over his cursive hand writing.

Daniel leaned in to get a look, "You think it's him?"

She looked up at him, "I think we found our fish, mister bear."

--

Simon Ellis. That was his name.

The man who stalked her and began everything she'd gone through had a name. Since she'd received the paper, Leah wasn't able to say it out loud, but just knowing he was in fact real and not just some figment of a nightmare made her want to vomit.

He had a home somewhere, and probably an established life. But did the people know about him? Or did he isolate himself from everyone besides his victims? She wondered if he had friends. And if he did, were they aware of what he did? Did he have a career? A wife? Even kids? Could someone as cruel as him even have pets?

What did his home look like? She imagined it as one of the horror movies she'd seen in which the house was gorgeous, but had a secret cellar in which the victims were kept. Was that how he lived his life?

Her teeth chewed on her lips as Leah tried to stay afloat in an ocean of questions. The drive wasn't a long one and she wanted to get all her fear out before they arrived. Which was turning out to be a disaster. She just kept making questions and scenarios up, which in turn made her sick.

The feel of her throbbing head and heart boomed through her body as her leg began to shake. What was she going to do?

What if things turn violent? What if he hurts me... or Daniel?

Leah focused on him as he drove, concentrating a little too hard. He hadn't driven so tense since the night she met him. Perhaps he was also thinking hard. She poked him in the rib, making him flinch.

"Anyone home over there?"

He exhaled and rotated his head enough to meet her eyes, "Sorry I was just thinking."

"Me too."

"Not too hard, right?"

"Of course not," she lied, "You okay?"

"Yeah." His jaw flexed as he sped up to catch a yellow light before it turned red. With his foot steadily on the gas, Daniel sighed and peered over, "Leah?"

Her stomach purred at him, "That's me."

He smiled only enough for her to catch a glimpse before restoring a serious expression, "Promise me you won't do anything to get yourself killed okay?"

--

When the truck finally stopped, a dam burst allowing everything she thought she'd swallowed to come flooding back. They were in a relatively quiet neighborhood, decorated heavily in weeping willows and pine trees. To a normal eye, it appeared to be a pleasant place filled with gorgeous cottages and two-story vintage homes. But to Leah, it was a place her destiny dragged her to, not knowing what was lurking behind shutter framed windows.

The house, his house, was covered in vines and shadowed beneath a large voluptuous willow. It was well kept, but kept her pulse at a high speed. She leaned forwards gazing out the windshield at the cottage. A damp emotion folded it's arms around her giving her the chills.

"I can't believe we're about to do this."

"It is pretty nerve wrecking."

Leah tore her eyes from the windshield to Daniel as he undid his seat belt, "I know, I don't even know where to start."

"We'll knock on the door first, and go from there. Just remember what I told you."

They unloaded and slowly, carefully and quietly ambled to the front door. Nerves twitched as Leah stared into the glass window on the door, watching for any movement. It was disturbing to see how someone with the capability to be a menace could have the audacity to own floral curtains, nice ones at that.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Daniel reach out his hand before knocking his knuckles against the door. The tapping made her nauseous. She shivered and gazed at him like a kid on the first day of school. Her soul was ready to run out of her very skin and retreat to the truck, even more so when the silhouette came into view.

Her heart was racing, thumping as if she were a hummingbird. Leg shaking and face turning red with every second that passed, it was only natural for her to snap when the door finally opened.

Simon Ellis had it coming.

Leah didn't know what came over her, or maybe she did. Whatever the case, all of the emotions, especially rage came charging through. In the blink of an eye, without a plan in mind, her arm flew forwards smacking a pent up punch against his face.

It surprised all three of them, especially her. But it felt so good. So good, actually, that she found herself willing to go in for another. As her angry motion began, she could see the startled expression on his face and it made her feel good being on the other side for a change. However, Daniel took it upon himself to step in.

He roped his arms around her and pulled her out of the doorway, "Leah wait!"

She rattled in his possession inconsiderate of what either of them wanted at that point. Her eyes burned at the man with dark hair, "I ought to kill you!"

Simon gathered himself and calmly held up his hands despite the raging Native woman in his doorstep. "You don't want to do that."

"Why not? You're trying to kill me!"

"Oh, you are very confused dear."

Daniel forced her to the side and met with the man's under active expression, "Hey buddy, why don't you save the pet names and just cut to the chase already?"

"Yeah, get to the point you lunatic!"

There was a short, disgusting vibrating chuckle that exited from his throat. It made even Daniel clench his teeth. As for Leah, she found herself wanting to attack him even more. But hearing him amused turned her anger into an odd curiousity. She stopped fighting to be released and flung Daniel's arms off her, "What the hell is so funny?"

Simon purred at her, "One thing about the Tamanaka is they tend to jump to conclusions. Look at you, fierce and ready to fight me, just like an animal."

Her ears perked, "How do you know what tribe I'm from?"

There Was A long tiring pause before Simon rolled up his sleeves revealing two very familiar bands around his wrists. They were called "guardian" bracelets and they were made from woven horse hair, blessed by only the highest medicine man. She had seem them only a few times in her entire life since they were only given to certain members; but she'd recognized them on the spot.

Her heart wrenched. He was from the same tribe as her. Which meant they had the same blood in them. Suddenly, her stomach heaved and she couldn't feel her legs anymore. A tsunami of every thing she'd ever felt, thought, saw and heard stormed over her body. The pressure of it made her want to blow a gasket. Leah swayed in the reality of it, trying to keep from crashing into Daniel.

She part her lips, the last bit of energy sifting out. It was official, she was in hell.

--