Witness [A First Contact Romance]

54. The Silence War

Earth

2027

Rory's squad was back together again. Well, as together as they ever would be. Nothing would ever be the same without Trin. It was so good to be with everyone, though, that she could not allow any sorrow to distract her.

"You're telling me Alix is married and you aren't?" Rory raised a brow at Nikka.

"I'll never be tamed," she said.

"I didn't think you'd ever get married." Rory smiled at Alix. "Good for you."

Nikka raised her brows. "The woman did a public service, saving ladies from two different worlds from his pursuits."

Alix sighed. "Look who's still jealous."

"So jealous." She rolled her eyes.

"Lyon, you finally settled down too." Rory squeezed his hand. "Babies?"

"Hopefully when we get back home." He placed his hand over hers. "How are you holding up?"

"I have no idea." She looked to each of her friends. "It's too much. It's like there's an ocean's worth of feelings inside me and I can't grasp it all."

Jace leaned against the wall, eyes on her now, face sad. With Nikka right beside her looping her arm through Rory's, Lyon sitting close enough in front of her for their knees to touch, and even Alix close by, it felt really strange for Jace to not be at her side. What they were going through was confusing and they'd oscillated between gravitating together like the old days and staying awkwardly apart. Because even though they had not talked about it very much yet, it was obvious that they both felt the same confusion about what to do with each other.

Rory almost reached out her arm for him, until she remembered how distant he used to get before they were together. Sometimes Jace needed to run away. It may have hurt too badly to be close to her right now.

"We don't have to talk about this stuff," Nikka whispered. "It's okay."

She looked away from Jace and made herself smile. "I'm just happy to be with you all again."

"We're just happy to not have to deal with Jace alone anymore." Nikka grinned. "I never knew how much work you had to put into him. Lyon and I have struggled to keep him on track."

The laugh shook her shoulders. Jace smirked.

After spending a few more minutes catching up, they started talking about what they needed to discuss most.

"We couldn't figure out the transportation system." Nikka crossed her arms, voice low and somber. "As hard as we fought for ten years, sometimes it feels like we have nothing to show for it."

"You gave us so much data," Rory said. "That isn't true."

"We need to connect with other planets." Alix anchored his elbows against his knees. "A good strategy with you as Witness will help, though. Have you thought this through?"