Meeting Sang *COMPLETE*

Nathan

Early morning sunlight creeps through the slats of my blinds. I let out a groan and pull the covers up over my head. Damn Academy training. Sometimes I really wish my internal alarm isn't so attuned to Mother Nature. The strain of the past couple of days of missions announce themselves on my sore body.

While I want nothing more than to stay in bed I know it'll be far better if I get my ass up and moving to relieve the stiffness and tiredness from my muscles.

Aw, hell.

Shoving back the blanket I rub a hand over my face. A quick shave's in order. And a morning run will help wake me up. Putting on my favorite red Nike T-shirt and shorts I'm freshened up, ready and out the door in ten minutes flat.

Even as early as it is, South Carolina summer doesn't disappoint. The sun barely up and already I feel humid air clinging to my skin. I'm in no mood to work up a sweat today so I set my pace at an easy jog, earbuds dangling on my neck as I set my playlist to shuffle mode.

Following the trail in the woods behind my house, the crunch of shoes treading over mucky branches make me pause. And then something louder - a strange, strangled yelp. Who the hell else is up and about this early?

"Someone out there?" I continue towards the sound, spotting a large maple tree that fell in the storm a few nights back.

A slight pause before I hear a whispered, "Yeah."

I squint up, trying to locate the source of the voice. "Where?" I ask.

"In the tree," comes the reply, before coughing ensues.

"Didn't you see it was down?" I round the gargantuan thing, still trying to discover who I'm talking to. "Why didn't you take the other path?" I stop after spotting a blonde girl staring down at me from her position up on a high branch.

At first I'm unable to put my finger on why she looks familiar, before realizing she arrived with the new family that just moved into the two-story gray house down the street, next to Kota's. I've seen her around a couple times but never got the chance to properly introduce myself. Guess today is as good a time as any. Something inside me lights up at the fact that she came walking out here so early. Maybe she likes the outdoors as I do, and early morning walks as well.

Shit. Focus, Nathan!

"Can you get out?" I say, a hand over my eyes to block the sun. I try thinking of ways to help in case she is stuck.

"I think so," she whispers again. Why is she whispering? I can barely make out her words as it is. I ask if there's anything wrong with her voice and she just pats her hands over her throat.

"Your voice broke?" I assume.

The girl gives a funny little smile and nods. I watch as she moves around the tree, still trying to find a way out.

"Move left," I instruct, a plan forming. She moves to her left - my right, I realize belatedly. Wrong way. "Shit, sorry. I meant my left. Your right." She turns back and points to the trunk, questioning me with a glance. "Follow it down until you get past the branches." I manage to find my own way around, waiting until she stands where I want her, then tell her to jump down.

Her forehead creases. She looks like she was trying to decide what to do. Maybe she just needs some more convincing.

"You'll be fine. Come on." I lift up my arms. "Jump from there," I say.

I think she looks confused again. "Back up so I've got room," she says in that quiet voice.

What the hell? "No, it's fine. I'll get you." Is she insane, trying to make the jump on her own?