I waited in the doorway, watching Thomas without saying a word. His head was ducked over what looked to be a display case, and his fingers were lingering on the glass lightly. "Hey," I said finally, drawing his attention.

He glanced up at me. He didn't have to smile for me to feel the warmth he felt too merely because I was standing here. "Hey."

"Can I come in?"

"Aren't you already in?"

"Fair enough." My fingertips left the wooden frame of the door as I slipped into the room. "You know, I don't think I've ever been in here before. Why was that?"

"Privacy. I didn't go barging in your room whenever I wanted, did I?" he teased.

"Well..."

"Shut up," he said, grinning, as his head fell back to the display case. I joined him standing over it and tried not to frown at the dark gray shade of his wings. I avoided them as if their mere touch would be enough to shatter, whether it was him or me.

"What's all this?" I asked, peering into the case.  Medallions and jewelry glimmered in the morning sunlight. Small slips of paper which resembled tickets and postcards lined the shelves.

"Nothing important. Just a few stuff from my time here on Earth." He stepped away from it and went to retrieve his sword scabbard laying on the floor next to the bed. "Ready for Nevis?"

"I never thought I'd be going back there. I don't even know if I've ever been there!"

Thomas walked up to me and tilted my chin up gently. Warmth exploded through my face, and it wasn't just from his magic. "Whatever happens, I'll be right next to you. Okay?"

"Okay." I cupped his face in my hands and found his lips.

He pushed me away after a moment. "Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

Thomas sighed, his shoulders slumping as he went to sit on the bed. It was a minute before he took a deep breath and met my gaze solidly. "I wanted to thank you, Alexander. For being... so supportive of me." He took another deep breath, as if that would push away tears. "I don't deserve it, and I don't deserve you, but I really wanted to thank you. For everything. I don't think you really understand how much it means to me."

I stepped in front of him and took his hand in mine, kissing his knuckles just to see him smile. "Of course Thomas," I breathed softly. "I'd fight by you no matter what."

"That brings me to another point." He swallowed and dropped his gaze. "If I Change... permanently... I'd really appreciate if..."

He didn't have to complete the sentence for me to know where he was going. "Thomas... that's horrible."

"I know, but can you promise me that? I'd rather die by your hand than live and hurt you."

I couldn't find the ways to put what I was thinking into words, so I gripped his hand tighter and nodded. "I promise." But even as the words pooled from my mouth, I doubted them. How could I kill the only person who's ever meant anything to me?

He lingered on the bed for a bit longer than was necessary before standing up. "Come on. We've got stuff we need to take care of, as much as I would love to do nothing here forever with you."

I rolled my eyes at him and stole another kiss quick enough to catch him off guard. He cocked an eyebrow at me but refused to complain as he led me out of his room and where everyone else was waiting, dressed and ready to go as their usual scary, intimidating selves.

I took a deep breath to steady myself and nodded, knowing that every step I took towards them was a step closer to Nevis. Divinity's children, why was I so nervous? It didn't matter that much. I had no reason to be.

Washington looked up as we entered and nodded at us. "Ready to go?"

"I think so." Thomas swallowed, and added, "I hope so." He let go of my hand and stepped into the middle of the room, his eyes closed. Angelica looked up at him and frowned, and I realized the same thing she did before it was too late.

The world around me pitched forwards as I was practically thrown out of the room. I fought to stay standing as flashes of color drove past. I couldn't get my bearings, I couldn't make any sense of the world around me.

Fortunately, the sensation lasted just as long as they usually do, and it was seconds before the world was normal and right again.

Thomas stumbled forwards and fell to his knees. A curse escaped my lips, and before I knew what I was doing, I was on the ground, kneeling in front of him.

"Thomas?" I asked, trying to stay calm as I lifted his head.

"I'm fine. I'm okay," he responded, his eyes blinking open. I tried not to flinch. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing we can't fix. It's just...your eyes." They were still gray, but his pupils were slits, almost cat-like.

Thomas let out a sigh but didn't ask any questions, and I could practically feel the fear radiating off of him. I took his hand in mine and squeezed it gently.

"What were you thinking?" asked Angelica softly as she sat down next to him.

"I don't need you to baby me, Angelica. I can handle myself, okay?" He pushed himself to his feet and turned to the others. "Come on, we don't have time. The sooner we find it, the happier we'll be."

"Thomas," Aaron said, "we should take a minute."

"We don't have time. I'm fine. Let's go."

Protests arose, but they were all quieted as Washington stepped forward and said, "Thomas is right. We don't have time, and if he says he's okay, then he's okay. What are we looking for?"

Thomas had never looked more grateful. "It's a cave. And there are probably lots of caves around here, but it's got an energy radiating off of it that sets it apart. We have to find it before midnight."

Nobody questioned him.

I looked around. We were standing in an open field, luckily empty of any humans. The grass was a lush green, and the open sky above us was unmarked by clouds. And although it was warmer than New York and there was much less snow, I still had to cross my arms and stick close to Thomas as he picked his way down the hill. If I focused enough on him, maybe I could drown out the memories that flashed through my mind.

"Thomas, Alexander, can I talk to you two for a moment please?"

Thomas paused and looked up. He said something to James, who was still asking all sorts of questions about Earth, and hung back a second. "Yeah, what's up?" he asked when Washington caught up with the two of us.

"Okay, this is going to be a bit of an awkward conversation," Washington said carefully.

"Oh, great. I love awkward conversations," I said, mostly to myself.

"Right," Washington said. "Well, you two have been very good about this so far, but we still need to lay down some rules."

"I don't understand. What... what did we do?" asked Thomas.

I think I saw Hercules catch Lafayette's eye and nod to us, and Eliza smiled all too knowingly.

"It's not that you haven't done anything wrong. Yet. They're just a precaution."

"Alright, let's just get this out of the way. Is this about our relationship?" Thomas asked, crossing his arms.

"Yes. And I talk about this with everyone, so it isn't just you two." He paused for a second to glance around before delving into a speech that I'm sure he's had countless times before. "I encourage relationships, okay? I really do. They're a good way to boost morale and whatever. The flirting is fine, but try and keep it appropriate. Kissing should be done in private. And no sex. Ever." He seemed to say the last one rather quickly.

"Really?" Thomas asked after an uncomfortable silence. "Okay."

"Well, I'm glad we had that discussion."

"Thomas," James called, "I have another question." I saw the relief in Thomas's eyes, and part of me wondered if James had dragged him away on purpose.

"How is he doing, by the way?" Washington asked me as Thomas teleported over to where James was to answer his 'question'.

"I wouldn't know. He doesn't exactly have a history of telling me things," I said wryly, and even as the words came out of my mouth and part of me regretted saying them with such hostility, another part of me was satisfied that I did. The thoughts from the day before came creeping back in, hissing just as venomously as snakes.

Washington nodded. "I'm worried, but we have to put the Revolution first. Maybe Thomas just needs to... take some time off."

"Maybe," I agreed. "Maybe it would be best for him."

"But I tried that," he continued. "And he didn't exactly like the idea."

"What if we sent him to Avionerra for a while? He has to go back anyway. James will have to go with him, so he won't be alone."

He glanced over at me and smiled. "That's not a horrible idea. Thank you."

"Well of course not. It was my idea after all."

"Alright, that's enough." I did earn myself the flicker of a smile, however, and I'd take it.

I tried my best not to look around at the landscape surrounding us. I knew this place, even though my memories of it were slim, more like glimpses of a past that wasn't mine. I couldn't find the words to speak, and for once, I don't think I wanted to. I just wanted to find that cave and leave as soon as possible.

We put the civilization behind us, and Thomas felt comfortable enough to scout for it from above. "We're almost there," he said when he came back down. "Just a little bit longer. Come on, we'll have to be quick."

"Why don't we just teleport?" asked Angelica.

"Try."

Nothing happened, and Angelica nodded. "That's why."

When Thomas said 'just a little bit longer', he meant a few hours more. Despite the cold air, the sun was still shining on our backs, persistent enough to make me want to throw in the towel and just go home. Whatever this was, it couldn't be this important. I only got a little bit of relief when we entered a forest and the trees hid us from the sun, but by then, I was already worn out. The cold was pressing stronger than it ever had before, and the trees haunted me at every turn, so familiar but so distant.

"Thomas," I said sharply, making him stop and turn to me. "Do you know where this place is or are you leading us on a wild goose chase destined to fail?" My words cut through the silence.

Thomas stared at me for a while. "None of you had to come," he reminded me, his voice still, as it always was when he was angry. He turned back around and continued without another word.

"Can you at least tell us why?"

He didn't look at me. "There's something that the King took from my kingdom's vault a while back. Dust with extremely powerful healing properties. Some of our spies told Hercules that the King keeps some of his valuable objects on Earth. I don't know where else it could go."

Some of his valuable objects.

This cave was where I ended up. When they thought I was dead. I'm sure of it. Thomas meant me.

"Alexander?" Eliza asked, falling into step with me. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," I said. "I just don't want to be here anymore. How much longer do you think we have left?"

Eliza looked up at Thomas, who was conversing with a small, white and black bird that flew alongside him as we walked. "I don't know. We'll get there soon, though, won't we? We can't have much longer until sunset."

"Yeah. I suppose you're right."

Luckily, Eliza was right. There was a break in the tree line, opening up to a cave opening up out of the ground. I let out a sharp gasp and staggered backwards, away from it as memories pounded through my mind.

"Alex!"

"I'm fine," I said, righting myself as the bombardment died away. "I'm fine." Thomas was watching me worriedly, and I straightened underneath his gaze. "Let's just go inside."

The flash of the memories only became stronger the closer I got to its gaping entrance. Gathering my courage, I stepped inside the cave, my feet landing against the stone. Nothing happened at first, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. And then, pain.

Pain worse than anything I'd ever felt before. I staggered backwards, falling against the wall of the cave. I felt a warm hand grab my arm to steady me and I heard voices, but I couldn't place them.

The nightmares that haunted me every night became burning, became truth, became reality. No longer were they flashes of what might have happened. I could picture the chase, beginning to end. I could see the creatures urging me on, but more importantly, the monsters that were following me, wanting to rip at my throat. The vicious demons. The Tenebrie.

I managed to find myself, to push it aside and recognize the world around me. I blinked, clearing my head, but the adrenaline and the pure hysteria lingered.

"Alexander?" It was him. He was holding me carefully, his fingertips hooked underneath my chin. "You're okay," he said after a moment, and the tension relieved itself from his shoulders.

"Get away from me!" I shrieked, my voice my own but so vastly different. "Get away!"

He held up his hands and did as I asked. "Alexander? Are you okay?"

"Daescortum!"

He stopped the moment after the insult flung from my mouth, his hands falling to his sides as he stared at me. He was vulnerable, weak. But he was a monster, and monsters deserve to die.

A knife flew to my hand, and it took me less than a second to have it pointed at him. "Come one step closer," I managed to get out. "I dare you."

He was a monster. A Tenebrie. A creature that deserved to die.

I heard yelling, other voices, but I paid them no mind as I met the creature's eyes. The creature masquerading around as a human. I don't know how I knew it, but I knew it couldn't touch steel. That was its weakness, and that would be its downfall.

"Steel," I hissed, and it stepped away from me as though even the name of the metal was enough to barb him.

"I'm going to go find that dust," it said, voice passive and still, but that didn't disguise the hurt in its gaze. The Tenebrie turned and walked away without another word.

"Thomas, wait!" cried the voice of James, and the sound of running footsteps followed.

"Alexander!"

"Eliza?"

Relief. For both of us. She glanced up where the figure of the creature was disappearing and sighed. "We have to get you out of here."

"Go back to Perriterra," said Washington, but his voice was distant and hazy. "Lafayette, will you go with them?"

"Yes, sir."

I watched the small shadow of a bird disappear down the tunnel, and the scent of the calm after a light summer storm was gone.